Dragon’s Mate for Life

“I thought you understood.”

“Understood what?  That you are an asshole?”

“Look, Julie, I didn’t sign up for raising some other guy’s kid.  This was just supposed to be fun and well, it’s just not anymore.”

“So, that is how you go through life then?  Fucking your way through it without commitment of any sort?”

“I told you from the beginning that I didn’t want to get serious.”

“Right, and then you invited me home to meet your parents.  What the fuck was that about?”

“I just needed them to think I was in a solid relationship with someone down to Earth.  That’s all it was.”

“That’s not what you said when you took me there.  How can you be such a complete dick?”

“You wouldn’t have come if I had told you the truth, or you would have been too transparent about the fact that it was a sham between us.  I needed you to believe it as much as they did.”

“How can you be so flippant?  We’ve been dating for weeks.  You let me believe that you had changed your mind about not becoming serious.  I introduced you to my daughter for cripe’s sake!  I never do that with casual dates.  She’s been through enough just losing her father.  Fuck you, Simon.  Get out of my house!”

“Gladly.  I don’t have time for needy, clingy bitches.”

It was all Laura could do not to kick him square in the ass, leaving a dirty footprint from her running shoes on the backside of his expensive Italian suit.  Fucking lawyers, dicks in court, dicks in life.  She should have known better than to get involved with one.

“Cynthia, I just can’t do this.  It’s a pain in the ass.  I’d rather be alone,” Laura told her best friend on the phone later.

“You’re trying too hard, Laura.  Let your hair down a little and just go out on some casual dates and get laid.  Don’t tell them you have a kid at all unless they seem interested in that sort of thing.”

“I’m not going to do that.  Katie is very important in my life, and if a man doesn’t want to have anything to do with her, he’s just not for me.  Fuck dating.  I’m deleting my profile from Tindr.  I’m sorry I ever let you talk me into that shit.”

“Oh, come one.  Tindr isn’t that bad.  I’ve met some really nice guys on it.”

“You don’t have a kid, Cynthia.  I didn’t mention her on my profile because I didn’t want to draw in the pedophiles, but once I tell those that I’ve talked to about meeting, most of them just disappear.  They don’t even have the decency to make up an excuse.”

“But not all of them have.”

“No.  The ones that haven’t either just figure they’ll fuck the hot single mom and then disappear.  Or worse, they have their own brood and a crazy ex-wife.  Then, there are the ones that are still married.  It’s just a bunch of losers looking to get laid.  I would rather be alone.”

“Look, I’ve got an idea.  Have you tried the ComeShift site?”

“ComeShift?”

“Yeah.  It’s a new dating app I tried a while back.  It is dating site for shifters to find mates.”

“Shifters?  You mean like animal shifters?  You are yanking my chain, right?”

“No, not at all.  I met a wolf shifter on there.  God, he was hot and fantastic in bed, but he got way too possessive and I had to break it off.  You might be looking for someone willing to commit, but I don’t have any time for all that shit right now.  I have a career to manage, not some guy’s kitchen.”

“I don’t think getting mixed up with some paranormal freak is the answer, Cynthia.”

“Just something to think about.  You should at least give it a shot.  Shifters aren’t like other men.  They are naturally protective, with family instincts, and some of them mate for life when they find the right person.  You find one that you click with, and Katie won’t be an issue for him at all.  He’ll embrace her right along with you.”

“All the same. I think I’ll pass.”

“Suit yourself.  You just never know.  Anyway, I’ve got to go.  I’ve a client meeting in five and I need to figure out what I’m going to say to him.  His product blows and I’ve got to put together a fucking amazing ad to try to sell the shit.”

“Good luck with that.”

“Gonna need it.  Bye.”

“Bye.”

I ended the call and tossed my phone on the sofa.  It was almost two thirty and I had to go pick up Katie from school.  I walked out of my home office and made my way to the car to head downtown, still thinking about my lack of a love life.  Why was it so hard?  I was attractive, smart, owned my own business, house and car.  My only baggage was being a widow with a child and I seemed to be the only one that didn’t see it as such.

When my husband had died a few years earlier, my world had felt like it had come to an end.  Katie was only two years old.  He and I were only twenty-four, a lifetime ahead of us.  We had been high school sweethearts, gone off to college together, and graduated shortly before Katie was born.  I had gotten pregnant during our senior year, and we had married beneath an old oak tree that stood in the middle of campus, just us, a minister and throngs of excited strangers that gathered around us to cheer on our nuptials as they passed by to go to class.

I never regretted not having a big wedding.  I had loved the simplicity and atmosphere our impromptu marriage had possessed.  Josh never even proposed to me in a traditional sense.  We had awakened one morning when I was almost seven months along and the baby was kicking wildly.  With his hand on my stomach as little alien feet made a spectacle of it, he looked at me and smiled.

“Let’s get married today.”

“Don’t be silly.  How can we possibly just go get married?  There is a waiting period.”

“Not if you can prove you have been living together already as a couple.  I think we have that covered,” he laughed.

“Are you sure?”

“Ridiculous question!  I’ve been sure since we were fifteen years old.  I wanted to wait until we graduated, but I don’t want our baby coming into the world illegitimately.  Let’s give her proper parentage.”

“How do you know it is a girl?  We told them not to tell us.”

“I know because I wished for a little girl as beautiful as her mother.”

“Charmer.”

“As long as it is still working on you.”

So, they went to the courthouse and got a license, hiring a student from the seminary college who had gotten an ordainment to perform ceremonies from one of those cheesy online sites while he completed his formal education.  It was legal and that was all that mattered.  The students that gathered had all cheered and clapped once they were pronounced man and wife, tossing assorted things like pencil erasers, sunflower seeds they had in their packs and even shreds of paper they had ripped up while waiting for the final vows.

Two years later, they had sat in the doctor’s office listening to the bad news.  Josh had been blacking out and had bouts of confusion that were getting worse.  It was a tumor at the base of his brain, growing and inoperable.  Laura thought it had been the worst day of her life, but she was wrong.  The worst days were still to come as she watched his deterioration, a time bomb sitting lodged in his head. 

Pulling up in front of the school, she shook off the memory of those final days and wiped a tear that had managed its way down her face away.  Waiting in the line with all of the other parents, she spotted Katie talking with one of her new friends on the lawn.  When it came her turn to pull up to the curb, they were both waiting there for her.

“Mom, mom.  This is Hank.  He’s so cool!”

“Nice to meet you, Hank.  Let’s go, Katie.  We’re holding up the line.”

“Okay, Mom.  Bye, Hank!”

“Bye, Katie.  Bye, Mrs. Stewart.”

Laura smiled at him and waved as she pulled away from the curb.  She hated being called Mrs. Stewart.  It reminded her of all the things she had just tried to shut out of her mind so that she could put on a happy face for her daughter.

“Mom, guess what?”

“What?”

“Hank’s father can turn into a bear.”

“You’re kidding.”

Laura marveled at how the conversation just magically paralleled with the one she had been having earlier with Cynthia.  Since when had it become so acceptable to be a shifter?  Up until recently, it all seemed like a myth to most people, but in the past year or so more and more people were coming out and admitting their abilities.  Instead of the usual fear of the unknown, people seemed to find it more fascinating than freakish, and were actively supporting the movement not to keep it a dirty family secret.

“Yeah.  Isn’t that great!  Hank will be able to turn into a bear one day too, but not yet.  He said he is too little.  Kindergarteners can’t be bears.”

“Thank goodness for that.  Can you imagine the chaos at recess?”

Katie giggled and looked out the window and thought about that for a moment before turning back to her mother.

“What about me?  Will I be able to turn into anything when I get out of kindergarten?”

“Just a beautiful young woman one day.”

“That doesn’t sound like that much fun.  You are beautiful and you don’t have any fun,” Katie scowled.

Laura looked at her thoughtfully.  She was terribly perceptive for such a young girl.  It occurred to her that her daughter was right, though she wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do about it. 

“I have fun with you.”

“I have fun with you too, Mom.”

They drove the rest of the way home in silence.  Katie scurried up to her room to play while Laura returned to her office to finish her work for the day.  It was their usual routine.  Laura’s work as a freelance graphic designer afforded her the flexibility to accommodate Katie’s transport to and from school, but she sometimes had to work while Katie was at home to keep up the eight-hour work day.  At five, she would knock off for the day and they would make dinner together or get a bite elsewhere.  Tonight was pizza night and they would order in and watch a movie together.

“What will it be?”

“Frozen!”

“How many times have we seen that now?”

“A bazillion!”

“Sounds right.  Okay.  You get it started.  That’s the doorbell.  Pizza is here.”

As usual, Katie fell asleep before the movie was done and had to be carried up to bed.  Laura tucked her in and went back downstairs, intent on getting some more work done.  Instead, she found herself checking out the site that Cynthia had mentioned.  Looking through the profiles, she was fascinated to see how attractive the men were.  It wasn’t your usual lot of lazy, self-important jerks she had become accustomed to.

“Why the fuck not?” she mumbled to herself, clicking on the link for ComeShift to sign up and set up a profile.  After going through the process, she closed her browser and went back to work for a bit, putting it out of her mind as she finished up her work.  Finishing the project she had been working on, she went to the kitchen for a glass of wine and sat on the sofa watching Frozen without even registering it.  Her mind was a million miles away, lost in thought.  Life was lonely.  She didn’t want to be sad.  Not for herself and not for Katie, but she was, and it was getting worse she was afraid.

She picked up her tablet from the coffee table and downloaded the come shift app she had used on her computer to it.  No messages.  Even shifters weren’t interested it seemed.  Opening her email, she saw that she had to confirm her email address before her profile would be active on the site.  She hesitated, instead going back to the app and looking around a little more.  She opened a browser window and began looking around at the different types of shifters, and recent articles on how hard it had been for many of them to be open about themselves.

“Everyone has their problems, I guess,” she said to the room around her, shutting off the tablet and heading to bed.

The following morning, she went about her usual routine, getting breakfast ready and Katie up and off to school.  Settling back in at home afterwards, she began to work, opening her mail to check for anything from clients she might need to answer.  There was the confirmation email from the shifter site still waiting for her.  Opening it, she clicked on the activation link, closed her email and went back to work.  Before she knew it, time to go get Katie had arrived and she was rushing out the door to retrieve her.

Sitting in the line of parents waiting their turn to pick up children, she picked up her phone and glanced at it.  The email notification was on and she opened it to see what it was, expecting more of the usual spam that seemed to make its way to her despite her best efforts to keep it out.  Instead it was a message sent through the ComeShift app relay.  She read it, surprised to receive such a quick response from anyone.

His name was Sebastian, and he was a dragon shifter.  According to his profile, he was a local firefighter.  His pictures revealed a man who was tall and fit, the classically dark and handsome type with wavy black hair and perfect white teeth.  He didn’t seem too pushy or forward, just letting her know that he had liked her profile and picture, and asking if she’d like to meet for a drink to see if they might hit it off.

It was today’s dating test.  Men never invited you to dinner or a movie right off the bat.  They invited you for coffee or a drink, something quick that diminished how much time they would be forced to spend with you if you turned out to be a real loser in their eyes.  At first, it had been a turn off to her that men approached modern dating this way, but after a few incidents with people she couldn’t get away from fast enough, it had become a perfectly acceptable thing to her, as well.

Might as well just get it all out there right off the bat she thought, sending him back a message telling him that she could meet him for coffee, but it would have to be during the daytime while her daughter was in school.  It was her usual response and she found that many times, there was no follow up from the other end.  Despite what Cynthia had said, she didn’t expect it this time either.  A guy that looked like this Sebastian fellow could choose whomever he wanted, it wasn’t likely he’d be interested in a single mother.

It was a surprise when, later that evening, she received an email back from him telling her that daytime was great.  He was off the next day and wanted to know if she could meet him maybe after she dropped her daughter at school.  After a bit of back and forth, she agreed to meet him at the Cuppa This, a local coffee and tea shop not far from Katie’s school.

Walking into the shop the next morning, she felt incredibly nervous.  Usually, she was so used to these things turning out poorly that it didn’t faze her, but there was something different about this one.  Whether it was because he wasn’t put off by a child, the fact that he was a shifter or just that he was so hot, she couldn’t be sure, but she felt like every nerve ending was on fire.

“Laura?”

She turned and found herself staring at the broad chest of the most gorgeous man she had seen for quite a while.  He towered above her, which was saying a lot since she was five nine and wearing heels.  Glancing to one side, she could see other women in the shop looking at him with a certain longing, but he seemed oblivious to the attention.

“Sebastian?”

“Yes.  I’m glad you came.  I was afraid you wouldn’t.”

“Why?”

“First, let’s find a seat somewhere before they are all gone.  This place is filling up fast.  I’ll order us some coffee and maybe a treat?  What would you like?”

“Just black coffee and maybe a blueberry scone if they are fresh.”

“Simple enough.  Be right back.”

She breathed a sigh of relief and looked around for a seat, finding one in a far corner that had just been vacated.  Sitting down, she waited anxious for him to return, which he did a short time later, with two cups of black coffee and two blueberry scones.  Were they that much alike or was he just trying to seem like it? 

“So, back to your question,” he said.  “I find that a lot of women are interested in dating shifters, but when it comes right down to it, they back down.”

“I see.  I have the same problem with men who find out I have a child.”

“Never crossed my mind.  Kids are great.  What is your daughter’s name?”

“Katie.”

“How old is she?”

“Five, just started kindergarten this year.”

“Not to be too nosey right off the bat, but I find that some men have issues with Mommy dating someone new and I like to know what I’m getting into up front.  How long have you been divorced?”

“I’m not divorced.”

His eyebrows were raised noticeably before I could finish the sentence. I could almost see him deciding if he would make an excuse or just bolt for the door.

“I’m widowed.  My husband died a few years ago.”

“You didn’t kill him, did you?”

“No,” I said, laughing a little, despite the dark nature of his joke.

“Good to know.  In that case, I’m very sorry for your and Katie’s loss.”

“Thanks.  And you?  Ever been married?  Any kids?”

“Never married, no kids that I’m aware of,” he smiled.

I found myself liking him immediately.  He had a somewhat macabre sense of humor, but it seemed to suit him well.  It was almost charming.  We talked a bit more about Katie and my work, then his phone began buzzing loudly.  He pulled it out of his pocket and grimaced at the screen.

“I hate to cut this short, Laura, but I have to go.  Work.”

“Oh, I thought you were off today.”

“I was.  Getting called in.  I’m very sorry.”

“It’s okay.  Thanks for the coffee and scone.”

“Anytime.  I’ll be in touch.”

“Sure.  Good luck with work.”

She watched as he got up and hurried out the door.  Work, my ass, she thought.  That was nothing more than the classic phone a friend move.  Shifters might be new to the open dating scene, but they were obviously familiar with the practice of having someone text or call you to provide an excuse for immediate departure.  What had she done wrong?  Was he lying about being okay with her having a child or had she just talked too much about her?

“Fuck my life,” she muttered, getting up from the table and walking out of the shop.  Back at home, she opened up the shifter app and deleted her profile.  Meeting strangers on the internet was not the answer.  She wasn’t sure what was, but she was beginning to understand why so many women that are widowed are widowed for life.  Maybe you only got one chance to get things right and when you get it right the first time, that is just all there is for you.

Several days passed and she heard nothing from him.  Typical.  Rather than dwelling on it, she decided to just build a life on her own with Katie.  She would just be another one of those lifelong widows and learn to adjust to it.  A week went by during which she signed up for a Mommy and me cooking class, a yoga class and a book club.  It would keep her busy.

“You have to get back out there,” Cynthia said on the phone the following Saturday morning.

“I’m just tired, Cynthia.  I can’t take one more bad date, or one more rejection.  You should have seen how fast that firefighter ran the first chance he got.”

“Maybe he really got called into work.”

“Yeah and maybe Zac Efron is going to call and propose to me tomorrow.”

“I’m just saying that maybe you are making too much of it.  Things happen.”

“Well, I’m sure they do, but the fact remains that I’ve heard nothing from him since then, so I’d say that speaks for itself.”

“Perhaps so.  Anyway, what are you doing this weekend?”

“The usual.  Nothing.”

“If you aren’t going to look online, then you at least need to get out and mingle.  How are you ever going to meet anyone if you aren’t even trying?”

“I think you miss the point.  I don’t want to try.  I’ve given up.”

“I tell you what.  How about you call your mom, and send Katie over to her house for the weekend.  You and I will go out tonight.  Girl’s night out and sleep in on Sunday.”

“Tempting, but I don’t think so.”

“Ah, come one, Laura.  Let your hair down a little.  No men to impress on a date, just two girls out of the town.  You know you wanna!”

“Okay.  I’ll go, but no fix ups.  If I even think you’ve dragged me out to try to hook me up with some guy that happens to be there, I’m leaving.”

“Would I do a thing like that?”

“Yes.”

“Yeah, you’re right, but I won’t this time.  I promise.”

Katie was excited about spending the weekend with her grandparents.  They always spoiled her rotten and Laura got her back all hopped up on sweets and sodas, but it was a small price to pay for having a break to just not have to think about anything for a while.  She dropped her off and headed back home, taking her time to pamper herself in the tub and wash her hair.  Getting ready, she found that she was looking forward to a no pressure night out to just have fun.

 

“Isn’t this place great?” Cynthia shouted over the loud music that played in the club.

“It’s okay.  Pretty lively, I guess.”

“What you need is a few drinks and some dancing.  Come on.”

Cynthia grabbed her hand and led her over to the bar, ordering them each a Pink Tussle, which was really nothing more than vodka and pink grapefruit juice.  It was strong and hit the spot right away.  Cynthia found them a table near the dance floor and they settled in, ordering another round of drinks from the waitress a short time later.

“Would you like to dance?”

The voice sounded familiar, even before Laura turned to look at him.  Cynthia gawked for a moment before a quick nod encouraging her to go, but that wasn’t going to happen.

“I don’t think so.  Thanks for asking.”

“You’re mad at me.”

“I’m not mad.  We just didn’t hit it off and you couldn’t just say that.  You made an excuse and ran off, then never called,” she told him.

Sebastian looked at her and grinned, irritating her a little bit more.  How smarmy he seemed, so unlike how he had come across in the coffee shop when they first met.  She watched as he rolled up his sleeve and showed her a scar on his forearm.

“Four alarm fire in the Empress Hotel downtown.  I got a bit of a flesh wound that had to be tended to, but was otherwise okay.  I would have called you, but you never gave me your number and you closed your ComeShift account, so I couldn’t contact you through there.  It doesn’t reveal the email address through their relay system.  I didn’t know your address or your last name to even look you up.  I tried.”

Laura looked at him blankly, not sure how to respond.  It had never occurred to her that he really did have a work call, or that she hadn’t given him a way to get in contact with her after their first meeting.  Now, she felt like a complete idiot.

“It’s okay, Laura.  In your shoes, I would have probably thought the same thing.  In fact, I did.  I assumed that you didn’t give me a way to get in touch because you didn’t want me to do so.  Then, I saw you here and just thought, what the hell?  All you can say is no and confirm what I was thinking already.”

Laura was still speechless, but fortunately, Cynthia was not.  She jumped right in and picked up the conversation in her own abrupt fashion, practically pushing Laura out of her chair and on top of Sebastian in the process.

“She is an idiot.  She would love to dance.”

Sebastian flashed another broad smile at Cynthia and winked, taking Laura’s hand and leading her out onto the floor just as the music switched from an upbeat dance tune to something slow and almost erotic.  Taking advantage of the opportunity to be close, they pressed against one another as they swayed back and forth to the music that surrounded them.  One dance led to two and before she knew it, they were completely lost in one another.

“Oh, God. I forgot all about Cynthia.  I guess I need to get back to the table.”

“I don’t think she really misses you that much,” he replied, nodding toward a nearby corner of the dance floor where Cynthia was practically wrapped around a very nice looking man.

“Looks that way,” Laura laughed.

“I do think I could use a drink though. I’m completely parched. I could spit fire.”

“Not really funny.”

“Sure it is.  You are laughing.”

“Okay, maybe a bit.”

Sebastian smiled and kissed her softly on the lips before leading her off the floor and to the table.  They ordered a couple of drinks and began talking as much as they could over the noise of the club around them.  Laura had to admit that she was glad she had run into him here.  Otherwise, she would have gone on thinking he just didn’t like her and ran off like a coward.

“Where is Katie?”

Laura smiled broadly, impressed that he had remembered her daughter’s name after all this time. 

“She is spending the weekend with her grandparents.”

“Ah, giving Mommy a little time to let her hair down then.”

“Something like that.  Cynthia dragged me out.”

“Yeah, I’m here at a stag party for one of my brothers, but I ditched them when I saw you across the room.”

“Oh no.  You should get back.  How often does a brother get married, after all?”

“Four times if they are this one,” he laughed.

“You’re kidding.”

“Nope.  Not at all.  The last one was the stripper from the second marriage.  It lasted a week.”

“That’s horrible.  I thought you shifter types were sort of one girl kind of dragons.”

“Stereotyping us?”

“Maybe.”

“It’s actually pretty accurate, but my brother isn’t a shifter.  He’s adopted.  Found him on our doorstep when he was a baby.”

“You did not.”

“I’m fucking serious.  I was six years old and on my way out to play.  Opened the door and there was a naked baby in a box full of newspapers.  He looked like someone had just given birth and stuffed him in there, dropped him off.”

“That’s horrible.”

“Best day of his life.  Look what a great brother the little bastard got.”

“If you do say so yourself.  Do you have other siblings?”

“No.  Some dragon shifters are cursed with an inability to have more than one child.  I think that is why my parents didn’t hesitate to take him in.  It was there chance to have more than one kid.”

“Are your parents still alive?”

“Yes.  Still like a couple of teenagers in love.  You will like them a lot.”

Laura was a little caught off guard by the statement, but felt good about the fact that he didn’t seem to have any qualms with introducing her to them at some point.  It was a good sign that he was not like his brother and, more importantly, not like any of the other losers she had dated in recent months.

“Laura, you okay here?” Cynthia interjected, standing behind her with the same guy from earlier still wrapped around her waist.

“Grand.”

“Mind if I scoot out of here then?”

Laura looked from Cynthia to the guy behind her and nodded, understanding completely.  If she asked her to stay, she could, but if she was content with the way things were panning out with Sebastian, it was time for her to head out for a more private party.  Laura nodded her head and Cynthia smiled, leaning in and kissing her on the cheek.

“I’ll call you tomorrow.  It was nice to meet you, Sebastian.”

“You too.  Have fun,” he teased.  She returned the wink he had given her earlier and disappeared among the crowd.

“Well, it is just us now then.  What do you say we get out of here too?  We can go for a nice walk along the boardwalk and talk without having to shout at one another.”

“Sounds very nice,” she said, a bit nervous about being alone with him, but feeling safe somehow.

“Come on.  Let me say goodbye to the boys and we will go.”

Laura followed him up to the glass encased VIP room on an upper balcony and stood outside as he told his brother goodbye.  He had invited her to come in and meet them, but one look at the strippers inside and she declined politely.  She noted that Sebastian didn’t give either of them a second glance while he was inside and made a hasty exit. 

“They look like they were having fun.”

“I’m sure they were.  Not exactly my idea of a good time.”

“And what is your idea of a good time?”

“Honestly?  I rush into burning buildings for a living and sometimes I have to shift to protect myself or others.  When I’m not doing ridiculous stuff like that, it’s nice just to kick back and be a bit more serene.”

“Makes perfect sense.”

They walked and talked for hours.  It wasn’t hard to see that not only was Sebastian gorgeous, but he was well read and intelligent, well spoken.  He expressed an interest not only in her, but in what she did for a living and in Katie.  He seemed far too perfect, which was the only thing that concerned her.  How could someone be so right?  Was it possible that it really could happen twice?

“I’d love to see some of your work sometimes.”

“How about now?” Laura found herself asking.  It was almost three in the morning and she knew it was bold inviting him to her house, but she didn’t seem to be able to resist.

“Sure.  Let’s grab a cab and head over,” he replied.

Laura felt nervous as the cab pulled up to the curb of her house.  She had never brought a man here, and wasn’t sure why she was doing so today.  Plus, she hadn’t had sex in the three years since Josh had died.  She had refused to get too involved with anyone until she had dated them a while and just hadn’t managed to maintain a relationship long enough for it to get to that point.  Still, there was something about Sebastian that she couldn’t resist, and she found that she wanted him in a way she hadn’t desired anyone for a long time.

“These are amazing!” Sebastian said as they made their way into the house and to her work studio.  He was looking through the portfolio she used to show new clients some of the work she had created for others and seemed genuinely impressed.

“It’s a living,” she replied, standing close enough to him that their arms brushed against one another.

“You are far too modest.  It’s beautiful work.”

“Thank you.”

He leaned in and kissed her, nothing pushy or demanding, just a soft kiss.  Pulling away, he looked at her softly and brushed a long lock of her blonde hair away from her face.  It felt nice to be touched so intimately.  It wasn’t like some of the dates she had gone on where they pawed roughly at her at the end of the night.  This was gentle, but intense in a way that couldn’t be denied.

“You have the most amazing blue eyes.  They are positively captivating,” he told her.

“Thank you, again.”

“I should go.  It’s late and I’ve seen you home okay.  I don’t want to overstay my welcome.”

“I don’t mind if you stay a while longer.”

“Are you sure?”

“Very sure.”

His hand cupped her face, pulling her to him again, drinking her in.  He kissed her deeply, his tongue exploring her mouth lazily as if he was in no hurry in the world, just enjoying her.  She returned his kiss eagerly, the passion between them rapidly growing until she felt nothing but a deep ache for him to be inside of her.

His body pushed forward against hers, pinning her petite frame to a nearby wall, lifting her until his mouth was even with her breasts.  He held her there with his hips, tearing open her cotton shift with one hand and pushing her bra to kiss her breasts, alternately licking and biting at her hardened nipples.  She could feel the moisture between her legs as her panties grew wet with her desire, and then he was ripping them free, exposing her to him. 

Reaching around for her calves, he pulled her legs around him, wrapping her about his waist as he unbuttoned his jeans and let them fall to the floor.  He entered her with one hard stroke, forcing a cry from her lips before she bit it, enjoying the way his hard cock felt inside of her.  His lips fell on hers again, her breasts pressed against his chest as he fucked her slowly and deliberately against the wall.  Her moans filled the room as he took her, giving her all of him as her legs quaked with a series of orgasms, each more explosive than the previous one.

“Don’t stop.  I love how your pussy tightens around my cock when you cum.  It feels amazing.  I want you to cum until you can’t anymore,” he growled in her ear, his cock still plummeting into her center deeply, his pace increasing until she shuddered once again with another climax.

“Fuck me, Sebastian. Oh, God.  I’m cumming again,” she managed to sputter as she exploded all around his cock again.

“That’s a good girl,” he said, ramming into her roughly.  She cried out loudly as he pierced her center, his primal instincts taking hold as he fucked her unmercifully.  It felt incredible to just be fucked without abandon, and she found herself cumming again before he finally joined her, his hips pushing heavily against hers as he detonated heavily.  He leaned against her for a moment before pulling away and easing her now quite wobbly legs back down on the floor.  She loved the way it felt having his juices drip down her thighs as she stood there in front of him.

“Well, you can go home now,” she told him nonchalantly, reaching for what was left of her dress and pulling it around her.

Sebastian looked shocked and almost offended, until she broke out in a wide grin and kissed him on the cheek.

“You know I’m kidding.  How about we get some sleep?”

“I can’t believe you got me like that.  You sure it is okay for me to stay?  What about Katie?”

“Won’t be back until tomorrow night.”

“Oh, I should be tired of you by then anyway.”

“Ya think?  We’ll see about that.”

Climbing into bed, Sebastian wrapped himself around her as she pressed her back against him.  They fell asleep quickly, but awoke right as dawn was breaking for another round of amazing sex that left her both exhausted and wanting more.  His effect on her was absolutely amazing. 

After a shower, they made their way to the kitchen for a quick breakfast of bagels and eggs.  Laura didn’t usually eat breakfast, but found that she was ravenous after the long night and morning of sex.  It wasn’t all she was ravenous for, as the breakfast quickly ended in a return to bed to fuck like bunnies the rest of the morning and half of the afternoon, with short breaks to nap here and there.

“I’m going to have to get going soon.  I have to run some errands and then pick up Katie at six.  Can I take you home?”

“That would be great. I actually don’t live far, a little over a mile over in Crestview Estates.”

“Wow, that is really close.”

“Yes.  I would ordinarily just walk it, but I seem to be a bit weak from the excessive loss of fluids recently.”

“You and me both.  I’m still a bit weak.  I actually feel a bit fuzzy headed still.”

“I must have done something right then.  How about this time you give me your number so I can call you? Otherwise, I have to look like a stalker by just showing up here or wander to clubs until I run into you again.”

“Far enough.  Let me grab you one of my cards from the studio.  It has my number and email address on it.”

“Perfect, just like you.”

After a very heated parting kiss in my car as I pulled up to the curb of his house, I was ready to just go inside with him and forget all the errands.  Spending more of our day naked in bed sounded like a better option in that moment, but as he got out of the car, a slight pain hit me and I struggled to recoup before he noticed my grimace.  I didn’t want him to think I was some sort of medical disaster waiting to happen. 

“I have a twenty-four-hour shift tomorrow, so I won’t be able to see you, but I will text you here and there to let you know I’m thinking about you.”

“I’m looking forward to it already.”

He smiled and blew me a fake kiss before turning and making his way up the walkway to the house.  I pulled away just as another pain surged through my center.  Perhaps it was just some sort of muscle spasm from the strenuous sexual workout over the weekend.  I went about my errands and then to pick up Katie, just bearing the intermittent pains as they hit.  Maybe I even pulled something.  Despite the pain, the thought almost made me smile at the fact that it was completely worth the injury.  Even if I never saw him again, I don’t think I would regret what a fantastic time I had experienced with him.

By the following morning, the pain had subsided a bit, but was replaced with an overwhelming sense of nausea.  A virus was the last thing that I needed.  I did my best to steer clear of kissing or hugging Katie as I got her ready for school.  Bad enough that I had whatever this was without her getting it.  I managed to drop her off at school and then rushed back home to lay down, feeling a bit like death warmed over.  Not even the sweet messages from Sebastian could make me feel better.  By noon, I was in agony and called my mother to pick up Katie from school so I could go to the doctor.

I sat looking at him with my mouth open once he had finished his examination and sat down to talk with me.  The news was the last thing I expected and didn’t make sense.

“How can you even tell so soon?”

“Well, it’s really not that soon.  From the looks of it, I’d say that you are at least three weeks along.”

“No.  That is impossible.  I can’t be three weeks pregnant.”

“Sometimes the tests can be unreliable, but even from the physical exam, I’d say that is an accurate estimate.  I’ve been doing this a very long time, Laura.  Still, I’m a general practitioner.  Make an appointment with an obstetrician and let them confirm everything.  They’ll do an ultrasound and give you a more accurate due date than I can.”

“Okay, Dr. Townsend.  Thank you.”

She walked out of the office, stunned.  No way could she be three weeks pregnant.  Sebastian was the only one she had slept with in years and that was just yesterday.  She dialed her OB/GYN’s office and made an appointment.  Their first available was in a week.  It would have to do.  When Sebastian messaged again, she ignored it.  Being lighthearted just wasn’t on the agenda for her right now.  She asked her Mom to keep Katie for the night, dropping off some clothes for school tomorrow, turned off her cell phone and went to bed.

“What’s wrong?”

Laura had barely turned her phone back on when she received the text message from Sebastian.  It wasn’t his fault that she didn’t feel well or was it?  Could she really be pregnant and sick so fast?  This was all just crazy.

“I’m just not feeling well.  Some sort of virus, I’m sure.”

The phone rang and she looked at it, noting his number.  She took a deep sigh and answered it.  It wasn’t that she didn’t want to talk to him, she just wasn’t sure what she should say or not say right now.  She answered it and tried to sound much more cheerful than she felt.

“I’m coming over.  I’ll bring you some juice and some soup for later.  What else do you need?  Do you need me to take Katie to school for you?  I just got off work, but I can be there in less than a half hour.”

“Wait, whoa.  Slow down.  I’m fine.  I don’t need you to rush over or anything.”

“I want to, Laura.  If you are sick, I’m coming to check on you.  I’m an EMT.  You might need mouth to mouth or something.”

“Tempting, but I’m afraid you wouldn’t want to do that today.”

“We’ll see.  I’ll be there in thirty minutes.”

He didn’t give her a chance to argue further before he said goodbye.  She sighed heavily.  What was she going to say to him about this?  Probably best just not to say anything beyond thinking she had a virus.  She would wait to see what the OBGYN had to say before she decided what to do. 

Another child.  What was she going to do with another child?  Josh’s life insurance had paid off the house and left her a bit of savings.  She had a good job, but would obviously have some down time after the birth of another child.  There wasn’t even a consideration to ask Sebastian to support the child.  She barely knew him.  How could she ask him to take care of a child he had fathered with a one-night stand?

When the doorbell rang, she was reluctant to open it.  She still felt and, no doubt, looked horrible and had what felt like the weight of the world on her shoulders.  Pulling it open, she found Sebastian smiling down at her, two large brown sacks in his arms.

“Oh, babe. You look horrible.”

“Thanks.  That is what every woman wants to hear.”

“I’m sorry.  That did come out sounding a bit bad, didn’t it?  You’re beautiful even when you are sweaty and pale.  That should be a comfort.”

“Yeah, that is much better,” she said sarcastically.

“I brought you some different kinds of juices, some ice cream, some fresh soup from the deli and a variety of over the counter meds for stomach ailments.  I didn’t want to get too personal and ask what your exact symptoms were, so I picked a little of everything up.”

“Thank you.  You really didn’t have to do all that.”

“I wanted to help.  Where is Katie?  Do I need to take her to school?”

“No.  I took her to my Mom’s house yesterday and she took her to school this morning.”

“Good.  It doesn’t seem that you’re in any condition for it.”

As the day progressed, Sebastian didn’t show any sign of letting her stay by herself.  He waited on her hand and foot, keeping a close eye on her throughout the day.  Falling asleep for a while, she felt relieved to just get some rest.  When she awoke, she found Sebastian pacing back and forth, looking very concerned.  Glancing downward, she could see that her stomach was very distended.

“Have you been to the doctor?” Sebastian asked.

“Yes,” she said, deciding not to lie.

“What did he tell you?”

“He said that I’m pregnant.”

“That would be an accurate assessment.  Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I didn’t believe him.  I wanted to wait until a regular obstetrician confirmed it next week.”

“You don’t need a regular obstetrician.  I’m going to take you to my family doctor.”

“Sebastian, it’s okay.  It’s probably just a false positive or something.  No way could I give a positive pregnancy reading the very next day and I haven’t been with anyone else for a very long time.  The crazy family practice doctor told me I was at least three weeks along.”

“You are thinking about this as if this baby is human.  He’s not.  He’s a dragon shifter.”

“What?  What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that shifter babies develop at an alarming rate compared to human babies.  He would appear, you would appear, to be much farther along based on human criteria.”

“So, what then.  I’m three weeks along in one day, so that means that I’ll be full term in what?  About thirteen or fourteen weeks?”

“No.  Dragon babies develop faster, but they have about a six-month gestation period.  So, you’ll appear fairly normal in the pregnancy itself.  People will just think you have been pregnant for longer than you actually have.”

“I don’t know if I want to go through with this.  I had no intention of having another child, especially not one with a relative stranger.”

“You don’t mean that.”

“Of course I do.  This is a nightmare.”

“It’s not a nightmare, and I don’t think you really believe that.  You are just scared.  I won’t leave you, Laura.  This is my baby too.  Dragon shifters can only procreate once and then, only with the one they are meant to spend their lives with.  Do you understand what I’m saying to you?”

“Yes.  You are saying that you can’t have another child and that you will stay with me in order to make sure I have this one.”

“No, Laura.  I’m saying we were destined for one another.  Perhaps it will take you longer to believe that, but I felt it when I met you.  I just didn’t want to accept it.  I was frightened by it, but now this.  I know now that it is all true.  We belong together.  Tell me that you at least feel enough for me to give us a chance, to give our child a chance.”

“I do feel something for you.  I can’t explain it, but I’m drawn to you like I’ve not been drawn to anyone for a long time.”

“Then we are going to my family doctor to make sure you get the proper care for such a special child and we will handle this as it comes.  Okay?”

“Okay.”

A part of her felt relief.  Perhaps this was how things were meant to be, after all.  She dressed and went to the doctor with Sebastian.  It turned out to be a secluded cabin like office in the middle of nowhere, the doctor looking more like an old shaman of some sort than a certified doctor.

“Where did you go to school?” she asked as he examined her, eliciting a smile.

“Harvard, Received my diploma in 1917.”

“I’m sorry.  I must have misunderstood.  1977?”

“No.  1917.”

Laura looked at Sebastian quizzically and he nodded his head with a slow smile.  How old was this doctor she wondered.

“Dr. Bledsoe has been practicing medicine for a very long time.  He probably even has a few instruments that aren’t rusty.  He’s old as shit.”

“Listen here, boy.  I brought you into this world.  I won’t be bothered about taking you back out of it,” the doctor replied dryly.

“Don’t worry, Laura.  I assure you that he is a very good doctor and the only one you will find that can provide for your special needs.”

“Here drink this,” the doctor told her, handing her some vile smelling chalky liquid.  She did as he said and felt an immediate relief from the nausea and cramps.  Perhaps he knew his stuff after all.  She would have to trust him, whether she wanted to or not.

A few days later, life seemed almost normal again.  The doctor had sent a bottle of the medicine he had given her home and told her to keep taking it as needed until the sickness and pain subsided.  She had begun to wear loose clothing to cover up her growing bump, but would have to begin to tell people soon about the baby.  Sebastian was by her side constantly except for when he had to work.  Today he was on another twenty-four-hour shift, and she was taking Katie to the park.  It was time to break the news to her that she was going to be a sister and, to her surprise, her daughter was incredibly excited about it.  She felt pretty good about things.

Then, the next day, everything fell apart in a matter of moments.  She was making dinner and watching the news.  A report came on that there was a major fire in the downtown area.  A high rise that had been condemned and was set ablaze by someone unknown had collapsed, trapping several local firefighters in the blaze.  Her heart pounded, practically exiting her chest as her phone began to ring.

“Laura?  Laura Stewart?”

“Yes.  Is he okay?” 

She didn’t have time for formalities, she felt exactly like she had on a similar day a few years prior.  There was no doubt that this call concerned Sebastian and she needed to know the worst right now, no matter what it might be.

“This is Chief Isaacs.  You are listed as a contact in case of emergency.  We don’t know Sebastian’s condition at present, but we are notifying family members that we are doing everything we can to bring him and the others out safely.  We’ll be in touch.”

“Thank you, Chief,” she replied, her voice shaky and almost inaudible.

Hours passed during which she had no updates except for the news that unfolded on the television as she watched with increasing horror.  Could she really lose him so quickly? Why was this happening to her again?  Was there some sort of curse that would cost her every man she ever loved?  The thought startled her as she realized that she did, in fact love him.  Already, he had become someone she didn’t want to live without.  Tears fell down her face as she imagined the worse.

The news tore away from the collapsed, smoking building while a reporter spoke about the situation at hand and Laura just wanted to scream at the screen.  She needed to see what was going on.  Her nerves were completely on edge as her phone rang again, a raspy, rough voice on the other end.

“I’m okay, Laura.  I’m okay.”

“Sebastian?  Where are you?  I can hardly hear you?”

“I’m under the building, but I’m fine.”

“Sebastian!  Oh my God!”

“Just trust me.  Remember what I am.  Remember who I am.  I’m safe.  I’ll be safe until they can get to me.  I have to go.”

Laura felt like she was talking to a ghost from beyond.  Hours passed during which she continued to watch the news as they kept following unfolding events.  A crane was brought in and large sections of the building began to be pulled carefully away, digging deep into the center of the building until a large section could be seen apparently heaving upward, something pushing it out from within.  It took a moment, but she suddenly realized what it was.

“Sebastian,” she breathed into the living room around her, a sudden calm coming over her.

She watched as the large wings emerged, pushing the rubble away and shielding the men beneath the huge dragon wings.  A smile crossed her face.  Of course.  During all this time, she had forgotten the most notable thing about the man she had fallen in love with.  He was a dragon shifter.  She watched as he stood, larger than life, above the men who now climbed from the debris that surrounded them and made their way toward the waiting ambulances sent to their aid.

The reporter chatted excitedly as the large beast waited for the last of them to clear it’s wing span and then rose up, pushing the last of the crushed building up and away from its huge frame.  Then it rose into the air, taking flight rather than shifting back to human form.  There was speculation as to whether the dragon had caused the fire, but then one of the fireman was lucid enough to speak to the reporter.

“No.  He saved us.  He saved us all.  The beams were falling.  One fell on him, across his back, across his head and we thought he was dead.  The next thing we knew he was shifting and pushing everything up and away from us.  It was too heavy for him to lift, all the levels down on top of us, but he kept enough of it up to make sure we were sheltered from it until crews could make it down there.  He’s a true hero.”

The report died out as she heard a loud thud in the front yard and ran to the door, just in time to see the huge creature standing on her front lawn.  It was surreal watching as he changed back into a man, not any man, but the one that she would spend the rest of her life with.  Running out the door, she threw her arms around him, tossing the throw from her sofa around his naked form as she helped him into the house.  He was weak, that was obvious.

“Sebastian, why did you come here?  Why didn’t you stay and get medical attention?”

“I’m fine.  They can’t help me.  I just need to rest.”

“The man, the other firefighter.  He said you were crushed by beams.  That they thought you were dead.”

“I was.”

“What?  What do you mean you were?  I was so afraid I had lost you!”

“You’ll never lose me, Laura.  I may have forgotten to mention that, like a cat, I have nine lives.  I still have seven left.  Oh, and my kind lives to be well over a hundred years old.  You’re stuck with me for a very long time to come.”

Laura smiled at him and helped him to the bathroom to get cleaned up.  Then, they turned in for the night, laying curled up together peacefully.  Somewhere in the night, his weakness passed and she was once again reminded why she found him so completely irresistible as his erection pressed into her.

“I can’t believe you want to have sex.  Not only did you die today, but look at me.  I swear I’ve turned into a whale just in the course of twenty-four hours,” she said, pointing at the size of her growing belly.

“Oh stop.  That is just getting me more excited,” he said, slipping into her from one side and pumping his cock deep inside of her.

Everything felt perfect as he slipped in and out of her swollen pink folds, aching for more of him with each stroke.  He felt perfect, like he always did, but there was something different now, a closeness that she hadn’t felt before.  His hands cupped her swollen breasts as he pushed into her, deeply, wantonly making love to her in a way that made her want to cry with joy.  This was what had been missing from her life for far too long.  This kind of passion, this kind of devotion.

“I love you, Laura,” he whispered into her ear softly.

“I love you too,” she replied, pushing back against him as her body quaked, shattering into an orgasm that almost left her breathless. 

“Oh no, I am not done with you yet” he roared, as he turned her over onto her back and pulled up her legs vertically around him. His eyes glowed orange, and he thrust his long perfect cock more deeply into her than ever before. Her screams of pain quickly turned into screams of pleausre as his cock began widening and vibrating inside of her.

Sebastian didn’t let up, quickly bringing her to several more climaxes before he exploded, filling her with the same seed that had already given life to the next generation of dragon shifters.  Their child would carry on his family name into the next century.  She could already imagine him with their child, doing normal things like playing catch in the backyard or teaching him to ride his first bike.  No doubt there would be dragon training that would feel completely foreign to her, as well. 

Whatever was to be would be fine with her.  This all felt so incredibly right, like it was exactly where she was supposed to be, and he was exactly who she was supposed to be with.  How she had gotten so incredibly lucky was beyond her, but there was no doubt that she was exactly that.  Everything felt so right now.  So perfect.  Sebastian was the most incredible man she could have ever hoped to find to spend the rest of her life with and she knew now that they would grow old and gray together.

He kissed her lips with an almost featherlike caress of his own as she snuggled into the crook of his arm and fell asleep.  The morning sun ushered in the next day in only a matter of hours and they climbed out of bed, ready to face the rest of their lives and whatever it might bring.  Dressing and walking into the living room, she was astounded at what she was seeing out the front windows.  As it turned out, that was a throng of reporters on their front lawn, eager to talk to the hero of yesterday.

“How did they find you here?” she asked in wonder, looking at the mass of them outside, their vans lining the street and their cameramen scattered all over the front lawn.

“I’m sure a neighbor ratted me out.  Kind of hard to miss a huge dragon landing on the sidewalk out there.  I guess I should have shifted and taken the car back here.  I was just in a hurry and wanted to get to you as quickly as possible, to let you know I was okay.”

Laura nodded and smiled, realizing just how much her life was about to change in a world filled with heroes and dragons.  Then they opened the door.

 

Dating Two Dragons

Chapter 1

The firefighter’s ball in Austin, Texas was one of the most intensely planned and organized fete’s in the city. Each detail from the venue down to the silverware and table linens was always organized to perfection.

Everyone who was anyone descended on the Crowne Plaza Hotel dressed to the nines in their black-tie finery, ready to mingle and be noticed. The annual event had always been a themed fundraiser for either a scholarship fund, or an inner city school project, this year was a Casino Night to benefit the Fallen Heroes fund. The charity directly impacted the widows and children of fallen firefighters and police officers in the Austin area. Slot machines, blackjack tables, and roulette wheels had been set up around the ballroom. A poker tournament was being held in a separate room with a one hundred dollar buy-in with one hundred per cent of the money received being donated.

Anna Nash was not one of the beautiful or wealthy people invited to the ball. Considering the cost of entry alone was five hundred dollars a plate for non-firefighters, Anna couldn’t afford to attend even if she had the opportunity. What she could do, was earn a scant fifty bucks for waiting tables and filling water glasses at the event. With any luck, she could schmooze a few tips out of the patrons.

The catering company she worked for, Park Ave. Caterers, had been hired to provide the food and beverage menus for the first time ever in the thirteen years since the ball’s inception. Her excitable and very Greek boss, Melina Tsangarelis, was naturally ecstatic at the idea of so much exposure; and for such a good cause. Melina had had Anna rolling dolmades and mixing marinades for several hundred whole chickens all week in prep for the event.

After a long week of prep and back breaking work, at last it was ten minutes until go time. Melina had assembled her entire team of twenty in the kitchen for the pep talk to end all pep talks. “Okay, everybody! We have worked hard all week for tonight. There are going to be a lot of people out there, most of them haven’t ever tried our food before so this is our chance to make a lasting impression on each and every one of them. So with that, let’s go out there and have fun. Oh, and don’t screw it up!”

Anna joined in for the “ready break” moment, but she found it hard to be enthusiastic about such an exciting and heartwarming moment. Not three days ago, she had been dumped by her boyfriend of nearly two years. She found it tough to muster up any feeling of “Go Team!” when her heart had been shattered into a million pieces.

Pete had called her Wednesday night that week to ask if she wanted to meet him for breakfast the next morning. “Anna, I need to discuss something with you and it’s super important that I see you in person.”

“Of course. I don’t have to be at work until eleven so breakfast is perfect.”

“Great, See you tomorrow.”

Pete had hung up before Anna could tell him she loved him, but he sounded like he was in a hurry so that was no big deal. Her hands shook as she set her phone down and her heart raced. Was this it? After two years together and six months of her dropping hints, Pete was finally going to propose! She jumped up and down on her second hand couch whooping and clapping with the excitement of finally taking the next step with the love of her life. She called her mother and her best friend that night to tell them the good news.

She had no idea how far off base her thought process was and hard it would be to rescind the good news.

Pete had chosen a crowded public place to drop the hammer on their relationship. A smart move on his part, because while Anna could shed a tear or two, she was forced to mind her manners.

“Anna, I wanted to say that the last two years with you have been great. I’ve had a really good time, haven’t you?”

Anna beamed at him over her bacon and egg plate. “Absolutely. This has been the best two years of my life!”

A frown tugged at the corners of Pete’s mouth. While her response was nice, her enthusiasm made what he was about to do, that much harder. “I’m glad, but I think it’s time we go our separate ways. I– I’ve met somebody else.”

Anna pressed her lips together and gritted her teeth. Through sheer force of will, she avoided blinking because she was about to cry. “But, why? Who did you meet?”

Pete sighed and scrubbed his face. “Don’t worry about any of that. Listen, I said what I needed to say.” He threw a ten-dollar bill on the table. “I need to be going now. Take care, Anna.”

He had left his now ex-girlfriend gaping at him from a window booth and on the verge of tears. The entire break up only took minutes; they hadn’t even had their meal before Pete pulled the trigger. Anna had barely made it out of the diner before breaking down into crippling sobs.

She shook her head and put aside the memory. Anna knew she wouldn’t survive the night if kept thinking about Pete and with her boss under so much pressure, she couldn’t afford to test the limits of Melina’s patience tonight.

“Do I have time for a quick bathroom break before everyone starts trickling in?” Anna asked.

Melina finished rolling up the sleeves of her chef’s coat and checked her watch. “You have five minutes, Anna. Go ahead.”

Anna dashed across the hall to the restroom. It was time for her own kind of pep talk in order to be able to work without going to pieces. It was one thing to push a memory aside, it was another to be able to keep it out.

After locking the door behind her, she stood in front of the mirror and adjusted her black uniform vest and bowtie. With black tie rules in place, Melina was adamant about no tattoos showing at the event. Anna had spent an hour that afternoon being extra liberal with the cover up on her neck. She had a black dragon that started at her neck, and snaked its way down her arm to just past her elbow. While the tattoo wasn’t massive, the head was about as big as her two thumbs stacked on top of each other, in some collared shirts, the spikes on his head would show. “No hint of lizard anywhere.” She pulled a pink lip gloss from her pocket to reapply. She liked how full her lips were and did whatever she could to play them up.

It was her eyes that needed little more than a coat of mascara for enhancement. Her father had always called her doll eyes; a nickname she grew to love as she got older, but as a teenager, it made her self-conscious because it only drew attention to the fact that her brown eyes were slightly too large for her face. Since recently coloring her naturally blonde hair a deep walnut, her eyes only stood out more. She loved how unique she looked.

With one last tug on her vest and a tightening of her stubby ponytail, she was ready for battle.

 

Chapter 2

The night was moving along at a steady clip. Each course at dinner transitioned smoothly to the next and before Anna knew it, the entrée was over and she could take a minute to rest her feet. She skated through the kitchen, plucking a couple of leftover shrimp from an untouched cocktail setup. Hopefully, the few bites she would get out of them would quiet the growling beast in her belly; at least until her shift was over at midnight.

She checked her phone on her way out of the kitchen. “Ten-thirty, already? Hot damn!” The knowledge that she was so close to the end put a huge smile on her face. Anna wandered toward the lobby and the vending machines. The handful of shrimp were fine, but what she wanted was a Coke to keep her energy humming.

The welcoming glow of the soda machine held the promise of all things sugary, caffeinated, and good in the world. Anna pulled a handful of singles from her apron pocket and fed two into the machine. Her mouth was practically watering as she punched in the code. Then the bottle got stuck. “No! Awe, man!” She cursed as she kicked the base of the machine. Not a smart move.

“Here, let me help.” A masculine baritone offered. With two whacks of his fist on the front, the bottle dropped.

Anna gratefully retrieved her liquid ambrosia. “Thank you for Fonzie-ing that for me.” She looked up into the face of her hero and had lost all ability to speak. At nearly six feet tall, it wasn’t often that somebody made Anna feel small, but the man in front of her dwarfed her by half a foot and had the kind of broad shoulders and slim waist that carried a suit really well. Or in this case a tux.

“You’re welcome, miss?”

“Uh,” Oh, hell! What’s my name? “Nash. My name is Anna Nash.”

“Well Anna Nash, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” His wide mouth stretched into a gorgeous smile that carried all the way to his pale blue eyes. “I’m Sonny Adams. I work for Station 1. Judging by the get up, you work for the catering company that’s here tonight?”

Instead of the usual Texas drawl, Sonny’ s voice had a tinge of a lilt, Irish or Welsh, maybe? “You guessed correctly, Sonny. Is that short for something?”

He chuckled and leaned against the vending machine. “Yeah, Morrison. My parents were huge Doors fans. Still are as a matter of fact. They thought it would be cute to name their son after a dead rock star.”

“Ah. Well, I need to be going now, Sonny; my break’s over. It was nice to meet you.” Anna sucked in a deep breath and walked away. She hadn’t ever seen a man so beautiful before.

“Anna, hang on. Let me walk you back,” Sonny offered.

Anna continued down the hallway while Sonny caught up. “Sure, but don’t you have a date to get back to?”

“Yeah, but she can wait. She’s probably fixing her makeup or gossiping with the other wives or something.”

Other wives? “So you’re married then?”

Sonny screwed up his face. “Oh hell no. Lily wishes we were, but that definitely will not happen. I refuse to even commit to being exclusive to her. I have some tastes that I’m not willing to give up for a relationship. Most women are fine with it early on, but don’t want me to keep up my habits after going exclusive.”

What sorts of habits? Judging by the way his eyes smoldered, they had to be something fun. Anna stopped in the hall and shook her head. “Let me get this straight, then. You’re basically stringing along some poor woman who thinks someday you’ll magically want to commit. For what?”

Sonny shrugged and put on that panty-dropping grin again. “She’s reliable. If I don’t find someone more interesting for the night, I can always call Lily. She’s always willing to go the extra mile for me”

Anna’s stomach went from butterflies to nausea. “And she’s okay with being your old reliable?” Sonny shrugged. Anna’s ears got hot. The flippant way he handled this other woman’s feelings didn’t sit well with her. “Lily isn’t a dog, she’s a human being. You are so gross!” With a curt wave Anna took off down the hall. “Take care, Sonny.”

She could feel his eyes on her as she pushed through the swinging door to the kitchen. Sonny was sexy and obviously honest, which she could appreciate on some twisted level. He hadn’t bothered trying to hide the fact that he was with a date, or that he was a wicked slut, but Anna just couldn’t be okay with a guy who treated women no different than a toy. To play with someone only until something shiny and new crossed their path, was not how to treat people.

She jumped right back into her work without another thought about Sonny Adams. There was too much to do to close up kitchen service to worry about the handsome and promiscuous firefighter. Besides, the ball had been teeming with more than its fair share of heroic eye candy.

Anna grabbed a bus bucket and headed for the dining room. If she hurried, she’d be able to get the tables cleared and sanitized and she’d get out no later than twelve-oh-one.

“So what time do you get out of here?” Sonny’s velvety voice teased at her most intimate places as he spoke.

Anna had to remind herself that Sonny was a cad of the highest order and she needed to stay as far away from him as possible. “That is none of your business.” Don’t look him in the eye. She maneuvered around him with her bus tub, only giving Sonny the view of her backside.

Sonny followed close behind with his hands in his pockets. The round, tempting ass of Miss Anna was quite the view, but he was eager to catch the view sans clothes. She was just the type Brandon looked for too.

As he followed Anna around the ballroom, he shot off a quick text to his best friend and fellow firefighter, Brandon Kofax. They had been close since they were kids and shared everything, including their women.

“Is there a reason you’re following me, Mr. Adams? I can see if we’re hiring if you like?” She bent low over a table to grab a couple of wine glasses. Just because she had no intention of taking the handsome firefighter home, did not mean she couldn’t have a little bit of fun with him.

Sonny slid into a chair in front of her and put his head in his hands. “Come out with me after work.”

Anna straightened up and put her fist on her hip. “I already told you no.”

“Ah, that you didn’t,” he said with a wag of a finger. “You told me the time of the end of your shift was none of my business. Big difference.”

Anna’s mouth flattened into a line. He got her on a technicality. “Fine. I’m telling you now. I’m not interested.” The plan was to go home and wash off the stink of spilled grape leaf water and red wine.

She grabbed the last few plates and hustled back to the kitchen with the bus tub on her hip and Sonny hot on her heels. “Anna, hang on.” He hopped in front of her, blocking the only kitchen door in the room. “I have a proposition for you. Meet me after your shift. I’m only asking for one night.”

Anna blinked at the bold specimen in front of her. “You got yourself a mighty pair, don’t you?”

Sonny grinned. “That I do, Miss Anna.” He moved in closer, leaving only inches between them. “I’d be happy to show you just how big. Come out with me tonight.”

With the tension humming between them, Anna was dangerously close to saying yes, but just couldn’t do it. Even if the wounds from Pete weren’t so fresh, Sonny was not the kind of guy who would be good for her to get involved with. “Sorry. My answer is still no,” she said as she pushed past him into the kitchen.

Sonny stood in shock as he watched Anna walk away. He couldn’t believe it; a woman had rejected him, turned him down flat. Women never said no to him.

She didn’t even pretend to be interested, didn’t women at least humor a guy? Sure, he got to scope out her ass, but he wanted more and had been denied. The fact that he had never been turned down before only made him want her more. He was going to get her in his bed, he just had to figure out how.

Chapter 3

 

“Don’t you think it’s time to get back on the horse, Anna? It’s been over a month since you and Pete broke up.”

Anna frowned. If this was where the conversation was going, she didn’t think that accepting a lunch date with Winnie was a good idea after all. “I don’t want to date yet, Win.” It didn’t help that her mind waffled between being consumed by memories of Pete to thoughts of her and Sonny Adams tangled in the sheets. Sonny had been starring in her dreams at least once a week since meeting him, leaving her randy and wholly unsatisfied.

“You don’t even have to date anybody. It just might be time for a ride to get the practice down again.” Winnie’s green eyes watched Anna over the rim of her mug. She was waiting for Anna to admit she was right. Winnie could tell that Anna needed a little lovin’, her best friend intuition told her that.

“Ugh, you’ve been on this kick for over a week now. If I join a dating site, will you get off my back?”

Winnie grinned at her friend. “Absolutely. And let me just recommend one for you. Have you checked out ComeShift yet?”

Anna furrowed her brow. The name sounded familiar. “Is that the shifter dating site?”

“Oh yeah. That’s where all the hotties are. You should definitely check it out.” Winnie pulled out her tablet out of her purse and signed into the app. “Go ahead and scan through a few on my account.”

Anna hesitantly grabbed the tablet from Winnie’s hand. “Your account? You’ve been on here?”

“Of course! Why do you think I can give such a glowing recommendation? Do you remember Zach, the construction worker?”

“No way! He was a shifter?” Zach was the poster child for the All-American, white-bread male with his mop of sandy blonde hair, chiseled physique, and awe shucks attitude, he could have been Captain America.

“Yup. Lion shifter and fantastic in the sack. Probably the best I ever had.”

“But you aren’t dating him anymore.”

“Oh, honey. Zach and I never dated. You were lucky enough to meet him because I invited you to. Most of the time, we never got out of bed.” Winnie had an almost wistful look in her eye as she thought about that lover in particular. “Which reminds me, I don’t have plans this weekend. I should call him.”

“Wow.”

Anna scrolled through photo after photo of gorgeous men. Each fell into different categories based on their animal, relationship wants, and sexual orientation. Even the women that popped up were exceptionally beautiful. “Is it some kind of rule that in order to be supernatural you have to be really, really, ridiculously good looking? There isn’t one average looking person on here.” Anna was in awe as she kept on scrolling.

“I don’t think so,” Winnie said. “At least it’s not a written rule. I personally haven’t met a shifter, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. I’ve only known a few.”

One striking fellow caught Anna’s attention. He had blonde hair and a similar look to Winnie’s Zach, but there was a darkness about him that drew her in. She committed his name, Brandon Kofax, to memory so she could look him up later. “Alright, I’m convinced. I’m still not sure I’m ready for a relationship.”

Winnie giggled. “You don’t have to be, just take one for a test drive, no one says you have to buy right away, or at all if you don’t want to. Just go and have yourself a little fun.”

“I can do fun,” Annie declared.

“Can you? I hope so because I don’t like seeing you so mopey.”

“I have not been mopey!” Anna scoffed.

“You think so? I had to drag you out of your apartment after four days of being holed up in there watching Bridget Jones’ Diary and Pretty Woman over and over. I vaguely remember having to wash you in your shower, but I’ve tried to block that out.”

That was true. After the firefighter’s ball Anna had called out sick with the flu and hunkered down under the covers. Some would say she was wallowing in self-pity, but not Anna. She saw it as self-reflection time… with ice cream. “You call it mopey, I call it me-time,” Anna said with a shrug.

Winnie chuckled. “Whatever you say, Anna.”

Anna handed Winnie back her tablet and took her phone out. That Brandon guy caught her attention and she didn’t want to risk him getting snapped up by someone else.

“Are you signing up now?” Winnie asked as she bounced in her seat.

Anna nodded. “I am. I think I found someone I want to meet.”

Winnie squealed and clapped her hands. “Oh! I can’t wait. You won’t be disappointed, I promise.”

 

 

***

 

 

Anna told Winnie, she’d give the ComeShift app a shot, but she never thought in a million years that she’d get such a fast response from anybody; especially a guy she assumed was way out of her league. Within hours of sending her hello, Brandon had responded back.

 

 

I’d love to meet up sometime. How’s Friday night? I’ll plan the date.

 

 

Friday? Anna rifled through her mental planner. She was waiting tables for a wedding until about seven. She worked out the logistics of whether or not that would work, all while trying to not let her nerves get the best of her.

 

 

Friday will do just fine. I have to work until seven and will have to clean up after. Want to do a nine o’clock meet up?

 

 

Meeting up with a guy that late almost always spelled booty call. Anna needed to decide before she got there what this was going to be. Brandon’s profile said single and open to a relationship, but what did that mean? Relationship was such a broad term that could mean anything from friends with benefits to marriage potential and anything in between. Anna felt like she ought to heed Winnie’s advice and just go with it and if things get physical, then why not enjoy the ride?

 

 

Nine o’clock is perfect. I can pick you up, just tell me where.

 

 

Brandon had included his phone number in the last message. Anna’s heart pounded in her ears as she read through the message twice more. Would her being picked up by a perfect stranger be a terrible idea? She would be in a public place if she brought a change of clothes with her, it wasn’t like he’d see where she lived.

Anna picked her phone up off the scarred coffee table and clicked her fingernails against the screen. Her half chewed nails and chipped black polish looked terrible. Seeing as she was going to go on her first, first date in two years, it might be worth springing for a manicure

“Just tell him yes, you weenie. What are you afraid of?” That was easy. Her heart was still broken thanks to Pete. She was afraid of disappointment, of being happy, of having a good time, and most of all, healing. There was a chance that no matter how this date turned out, she could come out better on the other side. That was the scariest part of all.

Anna shook her head and put the phone back down. “You’re over thinking this, kid,” she mumbled. “Text him later when you’re thinking clearer.”

Then there was the current resident in her fantasies, Sonny Adams. She couldn’t emotionally afford to have a scoundrel like him in her system. If she kept thinking about him, she’d have a really hard time accepting a real lover over her fantasy one. That was all the motivation Anna needed to pick her phone back up and text Brandon her response.

 

Chapter 4

 

Friday had rolled around a lot faster than Anna had anticipated. After a long week of working business functions and helping Melina at the farmer’s market, it was time to get ready for her date. Well, almost.

Anna had packed a bag that morning with a casual option of jeans and a t-shirt, and a dressier option in case they were looking at a sit down dinner.

The wedding reception was being held in the same hotel ballroom as the firefighter’s ball, a fact that was not lost on Anna. She had spent her entire shift looking over her shoulder for her dark fantasy man. After a while, she felt pretty stupid. Why would Sonny show up at a Hindu wedding? While she knew how stupid the very notion was, it didn’t stop her from being wound tighter than a clock her entire shift.

At last, seven o’clock rolled around. Anna said goodbye to Melina and the rest of the staff before making a break for the hotel gym locker room. It was the only place available quickly for her to wash off the aroma of curry that was currently clinging to her body.

The hotel gym was deserted. The only sounds Anna heard were her footsteps echoing off the tile as she approached a shower stall. The white tiles had been scrubbed to pristine perfection. It looked like the showers had never been used.

Her fingers fumbled over the buttons of her blouse and because of her sweaty palms, she couldn’t get a grip on any of her fasteners. “Ugh!” Anna exclaimed. “Get your shit together! It’s just a date. You don’t have to marry him.” Anna gave herself a pep talk as she finally stumbled out of her work clothes and turned the water on.

The hot water began to work out the knots in her shoulders and slough away some of her doubts “Okay, you can do this. Sure, Brandon is mega hot, but don’t let that intimidate you.” Anna knew she had a lot going for her. It was a shame that Pete never realized it. Deep down she knew that by dumping her, Pete had done something that Anna wasn’t sure she’d have had the strength to do herself. Years of being unappreciated and taken for granted had taken their toll on her self-worth. Anna was starting to feel better about herself, it would do her no good to backslide and she knew it.

Anna poured out a generous dollop of her rose scented shampoo and set to work. With less than two hours until Brandon picked her up, she couldn’t afford to dawdle.

 

 

***

 

 

Anna was coiffed, fluffed and powdered to perfection by ten minutes to nine. Her dark hair fell to her waist and was the most time consuming part of the entire process with the washing, blow drying, and flat ironing of the ridiculous length. All the work was worth how well her look came together from the board straight hair to the figure hugging dress to the sky high heels, which made her legs look amazing.

She waited anxiously on the sidewalk, checking her phone. Brandon had sent a text letting her know what he’d be driving, but for all her nervousness, she had forgotten. “A midnight blue Camaro. Alrighty. I’m looking for a dark blue phallic symbol. Hoo boy.” Anna had a chuckle at Brandon’s expense. She was familiar with the term “overcompensation” and how it applied to the guys that drove cars like that. She hoped that this one would be the exception.

A minute later, the car she was looking for, pulled up to the curb in front of her. Anna took a deep breath and reached for the handle when the most gorgeous man she had ever seen stepped out of the driver’s side.

Brandon Kofax looked like a blonde Clark Kent had jumped off the page of a comic book and came to life. His hair had been cropped short, and judging by the clean neckline, very recently. The intensity of his blue eyes made Anna’s belly quiver as they raked over her body… twice.

Brandon smiled warmly at her. “Allow me,” he said as he maneuvered around to the passenger side.

Of course his teeth are perfect. His profile picture couldn’t begin to do this guy justice. Brandon wore a well-tailored gray suit that perfectly hugged the lines of his body. Oh lord, there’s something about a man in a suit. He wasn’t wearing a tie, but there was still no doubt that they were off to somewhere a little more upscale than the typical chain restaurant.

As Brandon opened the door Anna, stepped in. He was shocked by the black dragon winding its way down her neck and arm. He blinked twice to make sure his eyelids could still touch each other. The mark on Anna’s body told him everything he needed to know. Brandon shut the door and quickly fired off a text to his best friend before hurrying back to the driver’s side.

His night was about to get interesting.

 

 

 

***

 

 

The pair had arrived at a swanky yet rustic looking restaurant with a planter box filled with cacti and succulents to greet them as Anna and Brandon approached the front door. A white pergola covered the front entrance, making Anna feel like she was visiting a friend’s house rather than a hip downtown restaurant.

Brandon once again got the door for Anna and allowed her inside first.

“I hope you like this place. It’s one of my favorite restaurants. The owner and chef work with local farmers and ranchers to create their menu.”

The poor girl didn’t know what hit her as Brandon sauntered up to the host stand. Her green eyes grew wide and she wiped her hands on her pants. “Ca- can I help you?”

Anna bit back a grin as Brandon leaned it and turned on the charm.

“Yes. I have a reservation for three under the name Kofax.”

The hostess’ hands shook as she turned the page of her black leather book and found his name. “R- right this way, Mr. Kofax.”

“I think you’ve positively dazzled that poor girl, Brandon. And I think you made the reservation wrong. She said it was for three people?”

With an “awe shucks” shrug and a half-smile, Brandon slid into the booth and nodded to the now blushing hostess. She handed them their menus and scampered back to the host stand; no doubt to tell her friends about the stud at table twelve.

Anna turned the paper printout over in her hands, wondering about the reservation for three. “Care to enlighten me about this reservation situation?”

A ghost of a smile tugged at the corners of Brandon’s mouth. “The restaurant didn’t make a mistake. The reservation is for three. I have a friend coming to join us and he’ll be here in a few minutes. Oh good, they got more of the snapper.”

Anna set her menu down and folded her hands. “Hang on. I thought this was going to be a one-on-one. You didn’t tell me we’d be a trio tonight.” Anna watched as something flickered in Brandon’s eyes. For a moment she thought she imagined it, but whatever it was, gave her a little jolt south of her belly button.

“I promise you, you will have a good time tonight. Scout’s honor.” Brandon held up the three-finger salute and did his best to put on an innocent face.

“Were you even a scout?”

“No, but my brother was so I’m a scout by proxy.”

Anna chuckled despite herself. Brandon had been evasive, but was disarmingly charming. If he turned out to be a downright liar, Anna would be sure to never call him again, but for now she’d let it go. Besides, Brandon said “he” so their third wheel wasn’t another woman and Anna was comfortable with that. It meant no weird stuff.

“Sorry, I’m late, Brandon. I got caught at the station and couldn’t get away.”

Anna stiffened at the sound of the familiar baritone. It couldn’t belong to who she thought, could it? With a deep breath she turned her head to examine their third wheel out of her peripheral. The soft lighting glinted off a mop of almost black hair. “Shit,” she whispered to herself.

Brandon stood and clapped the new arrival on the back. “No big, man. Sonny, I’d like you to meet Miss Anna Nash. Anna, this is my friend Sonny Adams.”

Anna felt the heat burning in her cheeks and refused to look either of them in the eye. “Hello,” she mumbled. “We’ve met.” She was starting to feel like the universe had a real fucked up sense of humor.

“You’ve met?” Brandon looked from Anna to Sonny. “Oh! She’s the one from the ball?”

Sonny nodded, but couldn’t take his eyes off the blushing woman or her serious ink. Somehow, he’d missed seeing that the first tie he’d met her. “It’s good to see you again, Anna.” Although it felt like, no time had gone by since their last encounter. He had been thinking and fantasizing about her since they met.

Brandon dropped back into his seat. “Take a load off, man. I was just debating on which bottle of wine to order.

Sonny sat next to Brandon, still staring at Anna. He couldn’t believe his luck! Another chance to get the woman into bed. If they played their cards right, he and Brandon would have her naked by the end of the night.

Brandon carefully watched Anna. She refused to look either of the men in the eye and her cheeks were still tinged with blush. “What do you want to drink, Anna? Do you prefer red or white?”

Anna’s head snapped up, betrayal and anger burning in her eyes. “I’d prefer if you take me home now.”

Brandon tilted his head. “Oh? Why?”

Anna felt the anger burning through her veins. “Probably because this isn’t what I signed up for. Let’s just say, there was no truth in advertising.”

Sonny smirked and looked at Brandon. “I’m pretty sure, my name wasn’t even mentioned in the conversation.”

Anna shot daggers at Sonny. “No it wasn’t. I also didn’t see the fine print where I was going on a date with what I thought was a nice guy and wound up with a total asshat for a third wheel.” She turned back to Brandon. “Please, take me home.”

Just then, the server arrived. “Hi! My name is Janey and I’ll be taking care of you this evening. Can I start you off with some wine? We have an excellent Portuguese red we just got in or perhaps a Chenin Blanc from Oregon if you’re feeling a little less adventurous.”

Before Anna could protest any further, Brandon ordered. “We’ll have the Quinta dos Murcas Assobio Douro, please. Three glasses.”

The server nodded and took off to the bar. The reclaimed wood furniture and barn wood floors lent an air of rustic sophistication to the place. While Anna could appreciate the vibe, she still wasn’t thrilled with situation she was put in. It didn’t matter that she’d had wet dreams about Sonny, she still felt duped. “I don’t know why you bothered ordering anything. I don’t want to stay.”

“Am I really that bad? You’ve only met me once.” Sonny kept a straight face, but deep down, he was hurt and confused by Anna’s reaction.

“And that one conversation was enough. I don’t like guys like you, Sonny. Or guys like you Brandon.”

“Guys like me?” The two men asked in unison.

“Yes, guys like you. Brandon, you’re a con artist and Sonny you’re a cad. If neither of you want to take me home, I’ll call a car.” She reached into the depths of her purse to fish for her phone.

Sonny made to take her purse, but stopped himself midway. “Tell you what, Anna. Just give us a chance until the end of dinner. If after that, you still feel the same way, I’ll take you home myself.”

Why did that statement feel so loaded? “Fine. You have until that check hits the table to change my mind.”

Sonny and Brandon both exhaled. That was all they needed, they were sure of it.

 

Chapter 5

 

 

Brandon had ordered a mess of shared plates for the table. The trio had a little bit of everything from the marinated olives to the pig skin noodles to the blackened octopus. Brandon wanted to get in a little bit of all of his favorites. Since he and Sonny were splitting the bill right down the middle, he didn’t worry about the cost as much.

Anna spent most of the dinner giving the two men the stink eye while they chatted away about work and weekend plans. At first, she had even refused to eat, but the aroma of the parsley croissants and marrow pate was too much to handle. Soon enough, she was picking at a little bit of everything. “Oh my god,” she said at her first bite of pig skin noodles. “These are amazing.”

Brandon and Sonny both stopped mid-conversation to stare. “Whoa! She speaks!” Sonny joked.

“Ha ha, guys,” she said. But Anna couldn’t help but feel a little ashamed of herself. She had been rude to them, she felt justified in being so, but the proper Southern Girl in her couldn’t abide by such behavior and forced her to stop. “So, um. You’re both firefighters?”

Brandon spoke first. “We are. Sonny and I have been friends since we were kids. Like, the fifth grade I think? We do everything together.”

“That’s cool. I’m kind of jealous f you guys. My childhood best friend dicked me over in college so I don’t have one of those anymore.”

Sonny leaned in a little closer. “What happened?”

Anna chuckled and shook her head. “She fucked my boyfriend.” Neither man responded, which encouraged her to keep talking. “Jokes on them though. She trapped him by getting pregnant. Now they’re married with four kids and they’re both miserable. He cheats on her pretty regularly and she just takes it.”

“Man, that makes me glad we have the arrangement we do,” Brandon said, shaking his head.

“What arrangement is that?”

Sonny piped up. “We just share women.”

Anna blanched. “Share? As in…”

Brandon finished her thought. “As in women in the bedroom? Yes, we do. In fact, it’s a pretty rare thing when we don’t.”

“You mean, you guys are regular about the,” she almost couldn’t say the word without blushing. “threesome thing?”

“Yeah. And we haven’t met a woman yet that didn’t mind,” Sonny answered with a wry grin.

“Huh.” Anna slouched back in her chair, a little overwhelmed. “So tonight is supposed to be that?” Despite being a little overwhelmed, Anna wasn’t totally opposed to the idea. A fact that caught her a little by surprise.

Brandon reached out and took Anna’s hand. “Only if you want to. We don’t ever force a woman to do what she doesn’t want to.”

The warmth of Brandon’s hand helped to steady her. “Really? ‘Cause I’m pretty sure you both refused me a ride to keep me here.”

“Sex is totally different. We wanted you to give us a chance– me a chance, really. Brandon hadn’t had a chance to make a bad impression on you like I did.”

Sonny looked a little sheepish. He continued to surprise her; Anna didn’t think he had a shameful bone in his entire body. “I’m actually glad you guys made me stay. I’m having a good time. Thank you. I do have one question though.”

“What’s that?” Both men said in unison.

“Ah! Cut that out, it’s creepy!” Anna shook her head to remove the Children of the Corn imagery out of her head. “What happens when one of you has feelings for the girl you’ve been sharing?”

Sonny and Brandon looked at each other for a moment before Brandon spoke. “You know; it’s never come up. Neither of us has ever been in love before.”

Anna gaped at them. “Never? Neither of you has been in love before? That’s crazy to me!” Then it dawned on her. The sharing of women might be the reason why. They can’t form attachments the way they do things. The threesome agreement is also a method of emotional protection.

“Nope. And that’s fine,” Sonny answered. “No attachments, no problems.”

Now that Anna understood, she was a little more willing to come along for the ride. “That’s not the worst idea I’ve ever heard. Being in love bites. Trust me, I’ve done it and I really wasn’t a fan of the fall out.” Anna took a bite of food to end the conversation. She hadn’t meant to bring it up, but she did not want to talk about Pete.

The guys got the hint and didn’t press her further.

They ate in silence a little while. Anna mulled over the idea of being with both men. What would that be like? How would the logistics of that work? A threesome had never really been on her radar so she hadn’t thought about it before, but now that she was, the idea was arousing. Both men in front of her were gorgeous in their own way. Sonny being a little darker while Brandon was fairer. They were both built roughly the same way and were in phenomenal shape. Their looks would certainly not be a problem. They were also shifters; another experience she hadn’t had. “Can I ask you what sort of shifters you guys are?”

Brandon answered as Sonny had a mouthful of food. “Dragon. We’re both dragon shifters. Every guy at Station One is a dragon shifter. We’re part of the same clan.”

Anna grinned. “Dragons? You’re all aware of the irony of that, right?”

Sonny chuckled. “That fact is not lost on us.” His eyes flicked to the dragon head on Anna’s neck.

She noticed the casual look. It was the third one from Sonny and Brandon had been caught staring a few times too. “Does my tattoo bother you?”

“No. I was just curious as to where you got it done and what made you pick it,” Sonny said.

“I’ve had it for about five years now. I got it done at this funky little place on First Street.” Both Brandon and Sonny’s eyebrows shot up, but they let Anna continue her story. “There was only one woman who worked there and she did my tattoo. I wandered in looking for something, I wasn’t sure what, but after talking with her for twenty minutes, this is what we came up with.”

Sonny leaned in to Brandon. “She has no idea, does she?” he whispered. Brandon shook his head. “Do you remember the conversation you two had?” Brandon asked.

“Not really. We talked a bit about my ex, who I was with at the time, and where I saw my life heading. She was more like a soothsayer than a tattoo artist.” Anna’s belly suddenly filled with a million pairs of flapping wings. The two men in front of her knew something she didn’t. “Um, anyway, she told me the dragon would guide me down the right path and lead me to where I needed to be. I wasn’t too sure about the meaning she gave it, but the design was really cool so I went for it.”

Neither man spoke, but Sonny felt a weight he didn’t know he was carrying lift off his shoulders. “You met Nikki. She’s one of us and has a unique gift of being able to find the chosen ones for us.”

“Chosen? What are you talking about?” Anna hadn’t ever regretted her tattoo before, but she was now seriously considering it.”

Sonny elbowed Brandon. “You can tell the story more coherently than I can. Why don’ you take this.”

“Dragons are a little different than other shifters. We’re harder to match with a mate than others. Each clan has, for lack of a better word, a matchmaker that finds the mates. I can’t explain how they do it, but they have a knack for finding those with the right spirit.”

Anna gaped at them both. “And then they brand them? That’s crazy!” Her hand automatically went to her neck. The overwhelming sense of betrayal rose up in her again.

Brandon nodded. “They do. The traditional way is a tattoo, although Nikki has a flair for the artistic and likes to add her own touch to them. Yours looks amazing by the way.”

“What’s the difference between how the matchmaker tattoos and any other artist? You do know how many dragons are walking around on people’s skin, right?

“There’s a difference.” Brandon continued. “Do you see here?” He swept an index finger up her arm to the shoulder, leaving a trail of goose bumps in his wake. “The matchmakers have a little symbol they embed in the faces that tips us off. Ours is a tiger’s eye stone. She put it in the dragon’s eye for us to know she did it.” His finger lingered on Anna’s skin a moment before tracing along her collarbone. Her skin was so soft and he loved how her pulsed quickened under his touch. Miss Anna wasn’t immune to their charms after all.

Anna wasn’t sure about what Brandon just told her; she couldn’t be sure if it was at all true, but what she did want was for him to touch her again; and that freaked her out a little.

Brandon sat back down and watched the struggle on Anna’s face. Neither he nor Sonny was going to push, but he could tell that she was close to coming over to their side. The fact that Nikki had found Anna, who knew how long ago, was enough to know that she was the one. Now, Anna just had to realize it.

Sonny tried to get Anna’s attention again. “Are you okay with all this, Anna?”

What could she say? Anna felt like she should have been more upset or offended that she had been marked no, branded without consent. Somehow she felt, relieved or at least calm about what happened to her.

Try as she might, she couldn’t recall the conversation she had had with the mysterious artist. Anna remembered the woman being incredibly gentle and light-handed while working. She was chatty and professional, but Anna couldn’t think of what she said to the matchmaker to make her think that she was dragon mate material. She took a long swallow and drained her wine glass; it was her fourth of the night and she was feeling happy, warm, and fuzzy.

Their server returned. “How was your experience, guys? Did you save room for dessert?”

Sonny’s eyes never left Anna’s face as he answered. “We’re all set. Just the check, thanks.” Anna finally looked up into his eyes and it was electricity.

Anna felt a tug in her belly as she stared into those icy depths. Any fear or apprehension she had been feeling about getting involved with him and Brandon seemed to dissolve away from her body. She wasn’t sure how much faith she put in the idea of a matchmaker, but she had been chosen specifically for something that made her a perfect fit for the dragons. What it was, she had no idea, but she was sure if she asked, she’d find out.

Brandon had appeared at her shoulder with his hand outstretched. “Are you ready to go?”

Was she? The image of her tangled up with the two handsome shifters was appealing, but could she do it? Anna took Brandon’s hand and stood. Brandon tucked her hand into the crook of his arm. Sonny did the same on her other side and the trio left the restaurant.

Anna smiled to herself as she thought about what they must look like to the staff and the people on the sidewalk. She felt a bit like a she was being flocked by a pair of gorgeous peacocks and the world was looking at her. Well, let them look. She was going to have the time of her life.

 

Chapter 6

 

Anna had wondered where they were going. Even under the glow of the streetlights, she recognized all the shops and restaurants as Brandon’s Camaro breezed through downtown. “What’s the next stop then?” she asked.

“That depends.” Brandon glanced at her. “Are you comfortable with us?” Sonny had followed them in his pickup truck after leaving. “Because if not, I won’t be happy about it, but I’ll take you home.”

“I’d like to see where the night takes us.” Anna’s hand flew to her mouth as the words fell out. She was surprised to find that she had meant what she said, no discomfort to be found.

Brandon grinned and placed his hand on her knee. “That’s good to hear.” He gave her knee a little squeeze before inching himself up her thigh, pushing the hem of her dress up as he moved.

Anna’s breath hitched as he caressed the soft skin of her inner thigh. Brandon was teasing his way up into her most sensitive places. She pulled the edge of the skirt up to help him along. In a moment, her skirt was rucked up around her hips and his fingers were toying with the black silk edge of her underwear.

A quiet moan slipped from her mouth as he rubbed her lips through the thin fabric. The silk was growing wet with every stroke of his finger. The pleasure was over far too soon as Brandon edged his car up to the curb in front of an apartment building.

Brandon took off his seatbelt and leaned in close enough for Anna to feel his hot breath on her ear. “We’re at my apartment. I’d like you to spend the night,” he commanded as he drew one soft earlobe into his mouth.

Anna gasped as his teeth closed down on the supple flesh. At that point, he could have asked her to punch her own father and she would have done it. “I’ll stay.”

Releasing her ear, Brandon turned her head to face him. Pressing his lips to hers, he claimed them, feeding, commanding, owning her until she was sure she’d melt into a puddle and ruin his upholstery. “Come upstairs,” Brandon whispered.

He pulled away and got out. Immediately, the passenger door opened and revealed Sonny standing in front of her. His eyes blazed with hunger as he raked them over her exposed legs. Anna rearranged herself and got out of the car. She followed Brandon inside the building with Sonny hot on her heels. Anna could feel the heat coming off of both men even with a couple of feet between them.

Brandon led them onto an elevator. As soon as the doors closed, they were on her. Sonny buried his fist in Anna’s hair and pulled her gasping to his lips. He was both soft and claiming of her mouth. Anna sighed as Sonny’s tongue invaded her mouth, and tickled her tongue.

Brandon’s mouth was on her neck nibbling, licking, and caressing his way up and down the long column of skin. As the floors ticked by, it was a tangle of hands, mouths, and hair as the men devoured Anna. At least until the elevator dinged and the doors flew open. “This is our floor,” Brandon whispered into Anna’s ear. She tugged her clothing back into place again and followed the men across the hall. Sonny reached behind her to playfully squeeze her ass. Anna yelped and giggled, and she ran a few steps.

Brandon already had his keys out and in the lock. The man moved fast when he wanted something. The door swung open and he pulled Anna in with him.

 

 

***

 

 

The three tumbled into Brandon’s bedroom and made a beeline to the bed. There was no pretense of politeness, no drinks were offered. This night was to be about only one thing: pure, unadulterated sex.

Anna found herself sandwiched between the two men with two pairs of hot hands roaming her body. Their eyes glowed orange, and she could see shiny scaly patterns emerge on their soft skin. Brandon had his mouth on hers while Sonny pushed the straps of her dress off her shoulders. She was overwhelmed by the power of the two shifters, and by how much she wanted them both.

Her head dropped back against the chest of one man, while the other’s mouth closed around her nipple. Her last thought before giving herself over completely was, this is the craziest thing I have ever done.

Brandon rucked her skirt up to her waist while Sonny pulled the top down, exposing her bare breasts to the air. The sudden chill rippled across her skin, drawing her nipples erect and goose pimples across her skin.

Brandon sat her down and each man took one of her nipples in their mouths. The sucking and teasing of their lips and teeth made Anna’s breathing speed up. She was embarrassingly wet and so turned on, she thought she’d come if the wind shifted.

Her skin tingled and the air crackled around her. Her nose was filled with the heady combination of cologne, sex, and the powerful aphrodisiac known as the human male. As Sonny’s mouth roamed its way down her torso she shuddered with pleasure, and just a little bit of anxiety. She hadn’t been with anyone but Pete in years, what could she expect? With the first lap of Sonny’s tongue over her panties, she gasped and forgot all about those silly concerns; and as his finger pulled the damp fabric aside, she damn near forgot her name.

As Sonny was going down on her, Brandon led her mouth to his erect cock. She took his girth into her mouth and let her tongue enjoy the smooth, salty swirl.

Sonny pushed her up on to her knees, and thrust into her from behind, rocking back and forth, while she continued to satisfy Brandon. As the night progressed she soon lost track of who was inside of her, and how many orgasms they all collectively shared.

 

Chapter 7

 

The trio collapsed to the bed in a tangle of sheets and limbs. Anna was panting and sweaty from the exertion of keeping up with the two fit men. “Holy shit. That was, wow!”

Brandon grinned. “Check it out, Sonny. She’s speechless.”

 

Sonny looked over at Anna. She looked so beautiful with such a deep flush in her cheeks. “Uh huh,” was all he could manage. He was used to sharing with Brandon, but something about tonight was different. For the first time, he wanted to shove Brandon out of bed so he could have the girl all to himself. It might have been because Anna Nash wasn’t just any girl. She had been a constant, running thought in his mind since he first laid eyes on her.

“I’m going to get some water. Do you two want anything?” He tossed back the covers and started padding across the room before either of them answered. He needed distance, maybe a little breathing room to clear his head.

“I’ll have some water too. If you don’t mind,” Anna called.

Without turning around, Sonny nodded and left the room. What was the matter with him? He had only met this girl one time and she rejected him flat out. The only reason he was able to get her at all was because of Brandon spinning his seductive magic. If he had a second chance on his own, he would have screwed it up again for himself, he could almost guarantee that.

 

Anna watched Sonny walk away and felt an intense pull to follow him. Something was wrong, she just knew it. Brandon had rolled over and was softly snoring with his back to her. “Well, that was quick,” she mumbled. And a good thing too. It gave her a chance to see what was up with Sonny.

She slid from the king-sized bed and went after Sonny; after having had a three way, she didn’t bother with clothes. The man had already seen her in some less than modest positions, being naked was tame in comparison.

“Sonny?” she asked as she poked her head into the kitchen. The vent light was on over the stove, casting just enough light for her to catch Sonny’s form leaning against the counter.

“Yeah? Go on back to bed. I’ll bring your water to you in a minute.”

Anna ignored the request and went to him instead. “Are you okay?”

“Why did you tell me no the other night?” he asked.

Anna paused, she hadn’t expected a line of questioning. “That’s easy. Because you were cocky and rude. You acted like a guy who knew he could charm the pants off any woman he wanted. You needed to hear a different answer.”

Sonny smiled as he took in Anna’s half-shadowed figure. “So you wanted to teach me a lesson, then?”

“Not really. I didn’t know you and hadn’t planned on seeing you again. I just didn’t want to get involved with Rhett Butler.”

Sonny’s shoulders shook with suppressed laughter. “You know what’s funny? You aren’t the first woman to call me that, but it was the first time the comparison had backfired on me.” Sonny chuckled again, but quickly grew serious. “What made you change your mind?” Please don’t say Brandon.

“I’m not sure. I think it was the need to try something new. I just got out of a shit relationship recently and needed to cut loose a little.”

Sonny turned his head so Anna couldn’t see his disappointment. “Oh, that’s all? Cool. I’m glad we could help.”

“Hang on a second.” Anna closed the last couple of feet between them. “Would it help if I told you that I was curious about you? The fact that you happened to show up on a date I was on, had to have been a sign, right?”

“Well not really. Brandon likes to invite me on all his dates and vice versa.”

Anna held up a hand. “Regardless. Tonight just felt a little bit serendipitous to me. I thought I’d see it through and find out what happens.”

Sonny cocked an eyebrow. “And?”

Anna took his hands. “And I’ve had the best night of my life. Thank you.” She stood on tiptoe and planted a gentle kiss on his mouth. Her breasts just barely brushed over his chest, commanding her nipples to attention.

Her soft thank you kiss quickly deepened into something hungrier, more demanding. Their tongues swept over each other and Sonny pulled her into him, crushing her to his body.

Every inch where his skin touched hers, set Anna’s body on fire. Her greedy hands roamed over his back and ass, curving around his hips to the front of him. She wrapped her hand around his half-hard cock and began to stroke it to its full size. Sonny was well-endowed and filled her hand.

He sighed and dropped is head back, egging Anna on. “That feels amazing, baby,” he declared before biting his lip.

“If you think that feels good…” Anna dropped to her knees and ran her tongue along the underside of the shaft. She watched Sonny’s face as she drew him into her mouth. He sucked in a breath through his teeth as she toyed with him. Her mouth and fist moving in tandem, driving Sonny crazy.

She didn’t care about her first impression of him any longer. The beautiful man in front of her was under her power and she liked it.

“Anna,” Sonny sighed. His hands dove into the tangled waves of her hair. “Anna, stop.”

“What’s the matter?”

“Stand up.”

Anna obeyed and rose to her feet. Something in the dragon’s manner compelled her to listen.

Sonny grabbed her by the hips and hoisted her onto the counter. His eyes glowed with flames. Her pelvis was level with his on the cold granite surface. Sonny gripped her thighs, and pushed her legs open as he sidled up to her.

Anna cupped Sonny’s face and pressed her lips to his. The taste of her from earlier lingered on his mouth and tongue, turning her on with every sweep of the tongue. It hadn’t been long since she’ had both men, but she wanted Sonny as badly as a man in the desert wants water.

Sonny nudged at her opening, teasing at the sensitive and swollen flesh with his head. With a groan, he eased himself inside her. “Oh God, you’re so big.” Anna gasped.

Sonny growled low in his throat as he thrusted, and the fire in his eyes brightened. “You belong to me, do you understand that?” Starting slow at first, then picking up speed as Anna gasped and moaned.

She loved every last stroke of him inside her, and as he drove her over the edge again, she called his name out and dug her nails into his shoulders. “Yes! Oh, god Sonny. Yes!”

“Tell me you’re mine.”

Anna came apart with a moan. “I’m yours,” she gasped as her body lost control.

With a shudder and groan, Sonny came quickly after her. He stayed buried in her with his arms wrapped around her waist as though she were his life raft.

“Tell me why I said no to you again,” Anna said with a giggle.

“Ah! Easy! I’m still inside you.” Sonny reluctantly withdrew, but the spasms from Anna’s laughing were a little too much for his oversensitive parts. “It’s because I had made myself as unappealing as possible.” He stroked her cheek as he spoke. “But I am really glad you changed your mind.”

 

Epilogue

 

“So it’s been a few months since I’ve seen you. What’s been going on?” Winnie asked with a glance at Anna’s midsection. “Looks like you’ve been busy.”

Anna rubbed a hand over the slight swell of her belly. She had just begun to show in the last couple of weeks so her whole life felt new. “You could say that,” she said with a giggle. “I’m sorry I’ve been MIA, but Sonny and I have just been in the throes of the new relationship period. I can’t get enough of him.”

Winnie smiled and leaned back in her chair. “That’s fine. I’ve kind of been in the same boat myself with Zack.”

“Oh, you mean you two have finally come out of the bedroom?”

“Yup. I’m not sure what happened, but one day we just decided to go see a movie and we somehow wound up committed. It’s been pretty great.”

Anna reclined in her lawn chair. Her feet hurt from running around all day and she wanted a good view of Sonny. “I’m finally going to get to see Sonny in action today. Isn’t that great? Have you ever seen Zack shifted?”

Winnie took a sip of tea, the ice tinkled against the glass. “Not yet. He’s still a little shy about letting me see his lion. I think he’s getting more comfortable with the idea though. He mentioned something about a hunt in the next couple of weeks. So what are we going to see from Mr. Sonny today?”

“He and Brandon have an exercise they’re going to do. I think it’s just to stretch their wings a bit. Sometimes they like to race just to burn off some energy.”

“I still can’t believe the relationship you found yourself in with those two. It’s so weird.” Winnie watched her friend through her dark glasses and wondered about what exactly went on with the three of them behind closed doors.

“My relationship is with Sonny. In the beginning, Brandon got an invite to join, but since confirming the pregnancy, Sonny has kept me all to himself.” A fact that she didn’t mind one bit. Anna felt the heat in her cheeks and hid her face in her magazine.

Winnie yanked the magazine from Anna’s hands. “Well, don’t be ashamed about it. It was interesting while it lasted, I’m sure.” She closed the pages to see the cover. “Celebrity gossip, huh?”

Anna shrugged. “I don’t smoke and I can’t drink for a while, so that’s my vice at the moment.” A whoosh broke from the edge of the trees and two large reptiles rose into the sky. They were nowhere near as large as the dragons depicted in legends, but they were still nearly twice the size of the men who inhabited the scaly bodies. Anna recognized Sonny right away. His scales were nearly black, only when the sun hit him just right did it actually reveal that they were green. Brandon’s was lighter, more of a deep golden brown, and both were stunning. Anna and Winnie sat in shock as the two dragons rose into the air. There was a pause as if to count down from three and then the pair took off over the tops of the trees and away from the two women.

“Wow,” Winnie exclaimed. “That was amazing! I know they didn’t do anything, but to see two dragons in real life!”

Anna was too shocked to speak. To think that she had found her mate in such an unlikely way and was now carrying his baby– who might actually be a dragon too! She felt like the luckiest woman in the world.

***

“So what’d you think?” Sonny asked on the way back home.

“I’m still speechless. That was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen. I’ve never seen a shifter in their animal form–at least that I know of–and I certainly have never seen a dragon.” She laced her fingers with his.

Sonny gave her hand a squeeze. “You were the right choice then. Most people would have run screaming right to the asylum if they saw the pair of us.”

“How is it no one did see you?”

“We keep to the areas with next to zero population like where we were at today. That way, if a farmer or someone does see us, they can just chock it up to the heat or something.”

“The world knows about shifters, though. It’s not like some underground thing. I mean, I found you on a dating app and you don’t get much more public than that.”

“Technically, you found Brandon on the app. It was I who found you working a party, remember?”

Anna squinted in thought. “Oh yeah. I guess pregnancy brain is a real thing then, huh?”

Sonny’s face softened. “Yeah. And it’s pretty great.” He loved knowing that Anna was having his child. At the next red light, he snuck a look at Anna and his chest swelled with so much pride and love. The woman who didn’t want him was now his mate for life.

Anna caught Sonny staring and smiling at her. “What?”

He grinned. “Nothing. Nothing at all.” He gave her hand another squeeze as the light turned green and they headed for home.

 

Double Dragon Desire

"You're never going to believe who's coming to town," Erin exclaimed. Parker didn't need to see her best friend's face to know she was excited. The words she spoke rose light and airy, like bubbles through champagne. Between the two of them it was always Erin who was the ball of energy, and Parker loved her for it, even if it meant Erin was the one who usually got all the attention.

"I already don't believe it," Parker replied. She'd been sitting in the lounge of the Hertz building, waiting for class to start, when her phone had started to vibrate with Erin’s incoming call. "You'd better tell me so I can start convincing myself it's for real."

Erin laughed.

"Parker, Sordid View is coming to town to play the Metro Center next week. I already got us tickets. I don't care what you have going on that night, or what you have going on the next day—we're going."

Erin was right; Parker didn't believe it. She sat back in her armchair and looked upward at the open second floor. Students flitted between classrooms and down stairwells, the college an anthill of activity. Sordid View was one of Parker's favorite bands—a pop punk group that had been underground until recently, when their single "Relative Gravity" had caught on, and spread like wildfire. Almost overnight they'd risen from indie obscurity to radio obsessions, and Parker had never thought that—as big as they were now—they'd ever visit a college town in the middle of nowhere. With a population of little more than twenty thousand, Leadington was an unlikely place for a big name band to tour to. Before that, Sordid View had been too obscure to really bother much with touring far from their hometown.

"You're kidding me," Parker said. She plopped back in the armchair and stared upward, gazing at the open ceiling above. The lobby was located at the base of the university stairwell, which sat in the center of the building. Walkways ran along the walls, opening up to passages that led towards the exterior of the building. From where she sat Parker could see students passing to and fro as far as the fifth floor.

"I told you!" Erin laughed. "The venue doesn't have seats, so if we get there early enough we can make our way to the front of the stage. Maybe Lysander will notice you, if you're right up front."

"Shut uuuup," Parker chided, but she was grinning like an idiot. Lysander Smythson wasn't the reason she'd gotten into Sordid View, but he was certainly one of the reasons she was staying. Tall, a little willowy, but totally breathtaking; as soon as she'd seen his photograph, Parker had been hooked. Tattoos ran up his right arm and crept up over his shoulder to flirt with his neck. Apart from the vibrant colors across his arm, he was otherwise uninked. Along his right ear he had five piercings spaced evenly through the ridge of his ear, each of them spiked so that they looked like spines sweeping downward. He kept his black hair messy, and he sang like no one else. When "Relative Gravity" had taken off, Parker had known they'd get famous off of it. She'd been right.

"I told you that you wouldn't believe me," Erin said in a sing-song voice. "So uh, yeah. Best friend award, please. I'll be waiting by the mail for my plaque."

"I got the cab ride home and dinner, and we call it even?"

"You got it. Now get to class and learn something for once, okay?"

Parker laughed, shaking her head.

"Yeah. I'll call you later, okay? We've got to discuss what we'll be wearing. See ya, Erin."

"Bye bye," Erin sang. The call ended, and Parker laughed out loud. Several heads turned in her direction, students hunched over textbooks glaring at her. The lobby wasn't a designated silent area, but plenty of her peers took advantage of the comfy chairs to cram before tests.

Sordid View in concert. In real life. She'd look up and get to see Lysander's shocking green eyes in person. Parker buried her face in her hands, choking off another laugh. Was this real life? But as the day dragged on, and she faced calculus homework and the bitter cold of the encroaching winter, Parker knew it was no dream.

The next morning, she woke up and the Sordid View show was a day closer. And then another day, and then before she knew it, Parker was standing with Erin inside the Metro Center, pressed up against the stage.

Erin was dressed in her best. A hi-low black top covered with white skull print was fitted to her torso, revealing the delicate curve of her breasts, and her black leggings left little to the imagination. Canvas sneakers and a slouch hat completed the look. Her blond hair peeked out from beneath. Whatever Erin wore, she always made it look effortless.

Parker felt as though she could never compete. Her dark brown hair was swept up into a messy bun, the electric blue streaks that ran through it almost invisible that way. Black skinny jeans, ripped horizontally up the leg and thigh, clung to her as closely as leggings would have. The old school Sordid View tank top she'd ordered online years ago clung tight, but Parker thought that Erin looked much cuter. A pair of black clunky boots and thick banded bracelets up her arm added interest, but not enough to steal the show from her best friend.

"If anything happens and we get separated," Erin told her as the lights began to dim and fog began to roll across the stage to tumble onto the floor, "text me and let me know you're okay, okay? And if you're in a bad situation, what's the safe word?"

"Blue skies," Parker replied faithfully. Every show they went to, Erin took her through the same routine. They were the same age, but Erin had always acted motherly towards her.

"Mmhm. So stay safe and scream your lungs out!"

It would still be a while before Sordid View took the stage, but Parker's heart already raced in excitement. Tonight one of her dreams would be realized, and maybe, just maybe, Lysander would gaze down into her eyes and fix her with his tantalizing smirk. But first, there were three opening acts to get through.

Clinging to the security barriers, Parker and Erin jumped and cheered, fueled by the music. As the night wore on, the floor grew more crowded. Those that had come to see Sordid View had lingered on the outskirts of the venue, chatting the night away as the opening acts performed. When the last of the opening bands played their last track, the mob packed in close. The heat of countless bodies left the air humid and sweltering, even amongst the plunging winter temperatures. In moments like this it was easy to forget where she was, and the responsibilities of her world. Standing before the stage there was only excitement and the promise of a good time. Parker couldn't wait.

When the last of the stage hands finished setup and cleared away, and the overhead lights all dimmed, her heart felt ready to burst through her chest. Erin, still at Parker's side, gripped at her arm, and when Parker turned her head to look at her, she found her best friend laughing. The roar of the crowd drowned out the noise, even as close as she was. In that instant everything was magical, and Parker couldn't help but laugh back. Even the sound of her own laughter felt distant and muted compared to the excitement abuzz around her.

Then the darkness disappeared, the audience basked by near-blinding poison-green lights that shone out from the backboards. The crowd screamed, and as Parker squinted through the light she could see why—a figure stood center stage, facing them, yet masked by the light. His head was turned in profile, and he looked down. In one hand he gripped a microphone. The low hum of the bass kicked in, reverberating in Parker's chest, and as the thrum cleared the lights blinked out of existence, then streamed down from overhead. In stunning detail, so close she could almost touch him, stood Lysander Smythson.

Parker screamed.

The rush of the crowd was instant. Those who had lingered behind before now fought their way to the front, and Parker found herself pressed against the security barriers. The guitarist and the bassist emerged from the wings, joining their singer beneath the sickly green light, as though they all strode through noxious fields. In the back she spotted the drummer, confined to his kit. Parker's hands tightened around the barrier and refused to let go; she’d been waiting for this moment for years, and she wasn't going to be elbowed out of the way by bandwagoners.

Sordid View was starting with one of their older tracks; Parker knew it well. And as the guitar sang its last cords leading into the vocals, Parker watched with bated breath. Lysander lifted the mic languidly to his lips, pierced the audience with his narrowed, no-good gaze, and crooned the first verse. Right there. In front of her. In person. It felt like she might melt.

The tide of jumping, grinding bodies no longer mattered. Parker clung to the barrier and watched Lysander sing, his voice crystal clear through the speakers set on the stage. She'd seen video recordings of him playing live online and knew he was talented, but tonight he sounded better than he had on any recording, amateur or not. And when Lysander drew to the edge of the stage and looked out over the crowd, letting his eyes linger upon her, Parker felt like none of it could be real. How could one human being be so amazingly talented and gorgeous all at the same time?

Tonight Lysander was dressed in tight black jeans with thin, glistening chains slung across the back. A simple vee neck t-shirt was tucked partially into his leather belt, the other side left to hang down. Dark cords acted as chokers, clustered along the base of his neck, and gave way to a long stretch of black cord upon which hung a cross, dipping down to dangle near his stomach. Similar cords were wrapped around his right wrist, and when he raised his arm to sing they slid down his forearm, catching Parker's eye.

And right now he sang for her.

Eyes locked, the cross dangling from his neck swayed so close she felt she could grab it. Parker could see Lysander's lips moving, and she could see the spark of passion in his eyes. The moment lasted for an eternity, and yet only for a few moments at the same time. Before she knew it he'd taken a few quick steps backwards and had righted his posture, bounding across the stage with the wild energy only a singer possessed. Parker turned her head to shout to Erin about what had just happened, but found her friend no longer stood beside her. The crowd had dislodged her, and now Parker was alone.

The green of the stage lights was shot through with brilliant whites, and the lighting began to change. The color seeped away, replaced with angelic beams, and then bled through into blues. Parker had never seen anything like it before, and the way it played across Lysander as he sang left her breathless. When the song ended and the crowds around her cheered, she could only stare. Lysander stood center stage, mic lowered, chest heaving. This close she could see the sweat across his brow and the glint in his eyes that burned with life. God, was he handsome.

The mic rose to his lips once more.

"Hey, Leadington," he said, words smooth. A few steps brought him back towards the edge of the stage, and Parker felt her heart jump into her throat. "Good to be here. The boys and I have wanted to come out for a long time, but we only got around to it now. Hope you guys didn't mind the wait."

Lysander allowed for a pause as the crowd shrieked back in reply. Parker found herself shouting alongside them, throwing a hand into the air as she jumped up against the barrier, trying to catch his attention. Maybe it was a trick of the eye, but she thought she saw him glance down at her.

"Tonight we've got a lot to play for you, a lot of old stuff, a lot off our new album, and maybe one thing or two we're experimenting with."

New songs? No way. Parker grinned like an idiot, hung up on every word.

"So tonight I want to hear a lot of screaming, want to see a lot of dancing, and want to see every single one of you gone crazy. Got it?"

Another roar of approval sounded from all around her, and Parker's voice joined them as she jumped and screamed Lysander's name. His eyes darted in her direction once again, and he flashed his infamous smirk. There was something between them, and whether it was just the magic of being so close to the man she'd dreamed about for years, or the rush of a live show, Parker didn't know. Whatever it was, it felt fantastic. How she wished tonight would never end.

"So we're gonna play something for you that I'm sure all of you have heard before. Ready, guys?"

The wooden clack of drum sticks counting down told Lysander that they were. Parker grinned, eating all of it up. Not only was Sordid View amazing because their lead singer was one of the most handsome men alive, but because of the chemistry between the band members was incredible.

"Guess they are," Lysander said with a smirk. "So let's go!"

The guitarist launched into the opening melody, and the crowd went wild. "Relative Gravity," their breakout hit, was what everyone had come for. Sordid View wasn't going to hold back; what the audience wanted, they provided.

When "Relative Gravity" finished, Lysander brought them into the next song. And then the next. Track by track they moved across albums and years, playing things from their underground days and from their newest album alike. And through it all, Parker clung to the security barrier as she jumped and shouted and sang along, knowing the words to every song.

Before it seemed much time had passed at all, the guys cleared off the stage for intermission. For the first time Parker realized just how winded she was. Her throat burned, the air that moved down it catching against dry spots and prickling. She'd been giving it all she had, and already her vocal cords were ready to give out. How did singers do it? The high of being on stage had to be incredible, and even as Lysander ran and jumped and fell to his knees before them, his voice never wavered. It was as smooth as it had been when they'd first come on, and he never missed a note—even the most trying ones.

Parker's phone vibrated in her back pocket with a message, and she retrieved it to find Erin had been texting her throughout the first set. She'd been washed away by the rush of people and was further back on the floor, near the tall dude with the black and silver beanie and the chick with blue hair. Parker glanced over her shoulder, trying to spy where her friend had gotten to. There were too many bodies to make out Erin's exact location, and Parker was hesitant to give up her position at the front of the venue. Not tonight.

Parker (9:23PM): im still at the front by the barriers. catch u after, k?

It was shitty of her to do, but tonight was her dream come true. Parker slid her phone back into her pocket and turned her attention back towards the stage. Crew, dressed all in black, were running this way and that as they set up for the next half. Now that Sordid View were big time, Parker wondered what kind of stunts they had lined up.

A hand met her shoulder. Parker turned her head to see who it was, and found herself looking up at a stern, blocky face. The man was bald and muscular, and the black t-shirt he wore was embroidered upon the right breast with "Metro Center Security". Instantly she released the security barrier, wondering if all this time it had been against the rules to hold on.

"Come with me," the guard said. His voice rose above the babble of the waiting crowd, and Parker felt her blood chill. Was she getting kicked out?

"I didn't do anything," she pleaded, but he'd already taken her by the wrist and begun to direct her through the crowd and towards the left, probably so he could toss her out through a side exit.

"I know," he grumbled back. People parted for them like they were diseased, only to flow back into place in their wake. When Parker looked over her shoulder she found her old spot right up against the stage had already been filled by a girl with blond hair who looked like she belonged at a bubble pop concert. How was it fair?

"Please just let me stay and see the show," Parker begged. She started to grind her heels against the floor to try to stop him, but the security guard was much stronger than she was, and he pulled her without breaking a sweat.

"Got orders they wanted you back stage," the guard grunted. They'd arrived at a door by the side of the stage, roped off to prevent public access. The guard propped the side door open and gestured for her to enter through it. Parker couldn't believe what was happening.

"Wait, you mean—"

"The band wants you back stage," the guard said, all business. She could tell that her voice was starting to grate on his nerves, and Parker shut right up. "You can watch from the wings, but watch your manners. You cause a fuss, you get crazy, we'll throw you out the back doors and you're not getting back in."

Parker's jaw fell slack moments before a huge grin spread across her face. The chemistry she'd shared with Lysander from the stage hadn't just been in her mind—it was the real deal. He wanted her back here. She was going to go back stage with her favorite band and the most amazing guy she'd even known, and it was all because she'd caught Lysander's eye.

As soon as Parker had sidled past the security guard and into the small stairway leading to stage right, she whipped out her cellphone and texted Erin in a hurry.

Parker (9:31PM): omgomg youll never guess what just happened!

Parker (9:32PM): im back stage with the band. ERIN I AM SO EXCITED! idk when ill be out but take a cab home yourself and ill pay you back tmr okay? love you, stay safe.

A set of stairs six high waited before her, and when Parker looked out beyond them she could see the wings of the stage. Sordid View was still backstage on intermission, probably in the green room. Parker had never been a part of the drama club in high school, but she knew that much about stages. Was she supposed to go there?

Once she'd ascended the steps, the answer became obvious. A tall, slender woman with her hair pulled back in a tight ponytail approached and made a gesture that Parker knew was an invitation to follow. She wore an earpiece, and she had her fingers pressed into it as she spoke.

"Lights Charlie and Echo need to be switched out. Amp Delta needs to be swapped, it blew. And—Nikias, are you listening to me?"

 

They walked together, the woman walking at a brisk pace so Parker had to jog to keep up with her. To the right was the stage, men still scrambling across it to get what needed to be done, done. Above, concealed by the shadows, Parker could see others scurrying along the catwalks. She'd never realized how busy a show was, but as faces rushed by in all directions frantically, she felt herself appreciate the work that went on that much more.